NWgirl

I was full liquids for two weeks post-op.

You should find out if your insurance has an out of pocket max for the year. All the testing I had to do to qualify for surgery plus the surgery itself pushed me over my $3000 out of pocket. My insurance wording was 80 % they pay / 20% I pay up to out of pocket max. I know for the surgery itself, my insurance was billed approx 20k.

Ooh yay! How do I claim it?

I can still eat pizza and I feel that I'm at proper restriction. I can eat a small meal and do not get hungry for 4-5 hours. I get stuck if I don't chew thoroughly. I think my idea of restriction I'd a lot looser than others, as I wanted the band for hunger/portion control and not for restricting the types of food I can eat.

Insurances vary greatly. Some don't require a supervised diet and some require 6 months. You will need to find out more specific info about your policy to get an answer.

I felt restriction at 4cc (2 fills), but everyone is different- some end up near the upper limit (ie 8cc in 10cc) before they feel it. Once you get restriction, it's all about the decisions you make. The band won't stop you from eating things that go right on through.

Looks like it's for people who are thinner but have some problem areas, specifically stating "This is not a weight loss treatment" on The American Society for Aesthetic Medicine. http://www.surgery.org/consumers/procedures/body/non-surgical-fat-reduction http://abcnews.go.com/Health/freezing-fat-fda-green-lights-weight-loss-treatment/story?id=11641994#.T-VXIvUVrhI

You look great!

If you're using insurance, I have heard of some insurances making people redo the supervised Dr's visits if they gained weight. When are you trying to get banded?

Welcome to the blogosphere! I'm glad you're doing so well on your pre-op, sometimes they can be pretty difficult to get through. I've always been interested in taking a cooking class, and I think next year I'll try to find a healthy one. I can prepare meals, but would not say I'm a chef per say, and the healthy meals always seem so bland. I need someone to teach me the ropes

Did either of the professionals you saw today give you a reason for why they thought you should consider the sleeve vs the band? I know for certain eating issues, the sleeve will work better than the band because the band won't stop a heavy consumer of sweets from eating them. I have also heard of people blindly recommending the sleeve because they are not very familiar with the band. Just make sure that the reason they were recommending the sleeve was legitimate (or not). It would be something to mull over if their advice had merit.

I also take biotin for hair and make sure to take all vitamins recommended by my surgeon.

I know the FDA made the change to approve lapband for 30 BMI+, but most insurances are not covering that low at this point. I'm sure as co-morbidities rise with the way we eat in this country, they will reconsider.

It's when you are at proper restriction with the band. Aka sweet spot.

I recommend getting The Bandwagon Cookbook and Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery: Over 140 Delicious Low-Fat High-Protein Recipes to Enjoy in the Weeks, Months and Years After Surgery

Make sure you are exercising your lungs using the spirometer you should have received.

Ask your surgeon- I would vote no because of the extra sodium usually found in marinades (healthy or not), but your Dr may be okay with it.

I know Costco sells liquid vitamins. I would recommend going into a supplement store and talking to them about the feedback they've received on their stock. There are also places that sell band specific multi's- Unjury (O-Purity brand), Bariatric Advantage, Celebration, etc. My surgeon said I could also use Centrum chewables.

I am at restriction and do not worry about those things. I do remind myself to chew well when I'm eating, but everything else is second nature. I have also not experienced any eliminations of food from my diet, but it's not always a one size fits all approach.

The insecurity that the spouse feels when the other is going in for WLS is pretty common. The psuedo joke (from him) of me leaving him when I get thin is still popping up once in awhile. There's only so much you can do to reassure someone that you love them regardless of how you look!

Liquid diets are usually pretty low in calories. The key is to get a lot of protein in, which will help you stay fuller longer. Making sure to drink a lot of Water will also help

I am newer, but from my reading around it seems as if when you are getting refilled, the cc amount to restriction is different due to the band sitting differently. Good luck to you!

You look great in your profile pic! Don't beat yourself up, just keep trekking along trying to make good decisions.

Try using sugar free syrups to change up the flavors. I have also read if you drink through a straw, you won't smell the powder.