NWgirl

premier nutrition from Costco. 160 calories, 30 protein, low carb/fat. Total of 18 for $25

As the other two gals posted, you do not need wifi for the Fitbit to sink. You do have to have the computer turned on, the charging/base station plugged in, and the Fitbit software downloaded to your computer before it will auto upload. As for your stats, you should be able to press the button on the fitbit to cycle through the various options: steps, distance, calorie burn, incline/stairs, and total exercise (measured by the flower). On a side note: 1. I have heard of people looking on Ebay for people who sell their device for parts (after they've damaged them) and you can usually buy another base station that way. This way, you could have a base station at home and work. I have two, but only because my original Fitbit went Buggy and the company sent me a new one free of charge without requiring a return. Unfortunately, Fitbit does not sell the base station separate from the device- that is probably my only complaint with the device. 2. I usually like to clip the Fitbit to my shirt or underwear at night- I move around a lot in my sleep and if I wear it on my wrist, the device thinks I've been awake most of the night. When I wear it closer to my core, the device only shows I'm "awake" if I'm going crazy with the movement.

I'd like to mention that if the Dr. puts you on a liquid diet and you follow it/lose weight, the weight you were previous will not count as starting BMI for insurance. I don't know if you are self-pay or not, but I would be worried that I may lose weight in an unsustainable way and then end up gaining it all back again. I would find out the absolute specifics on your insurance policy and then call around to center of excellence bariatric practices and get scheduled. Also, I did decide to switch my primary care Dr when I decided on WLS because the one I had been seeing had always seemed so unsupportive and BORED when I talked to her about my weight problems. If you feel you need to switch Dr's, do it! I actually found my new Dr by asking the receptionist at the weight loss practice if there was someone she could recommend.

Go back to the Dr and get a slight unfill.

I have anthem BCBS, and when I called to ask about my bariatric benefits, they sent me a statement which also said fills are covered. I am guessing the fills are at the 20% policy, unless you've already paid your max out of pocket for the year.

My psych evaluation consisted of a 370 question test that the psychologist reviewed. I then came in and met with him for an hour. I did not feel like he was trying to make anything out of nothing. I guess if my test had raised some flags, he probably would have questioned me more. Don't be scared.

Actually the Realize band is standard with the low profile port, and the Lapband can either use the normal size port or the low profile port. Realize is still smaller- 11.6 mm vs 11.9mm.

The Fitbit is awesome, you won't regret it!

Hopefully your bloodwork will tell the Dr. why you are feeling so low. I was taking a multivitamin before bloodwork, but it still came back that I was very deficient in iron and Vit D. I have now been taking extra supplements and I do notice a definite positive increase in how I feel.

Great to hear from you! I am in Portland and am waiting on insurance approval- hoping to get banded at the end of the month/early next month

I would also throw out there that you could be lacking some vitamins. Are you taking a multivitamin?

I know my significant other was hesitant at first as well, but after he watched an actual video of the surgery, he was more at ease. Even though I had explained to him that it was very minimal, he didn't really buy it until the video. If you'd like to watch one, search youtube.

I did see a post a while back about the no straw policy due to the air. Someone had purchased a Camelback water bottle that doesn't let air into the straw, so they were still able to drink from the straw, but not have the influx of extra air...

That is too bad to hear- do you have an out of pocket max per year? My OOP is $3000, so I should be pretty much covered without the surgery. I am still waiting to see the claims appear for my sleep study consult and the actual study and the surgeon. After my OOP, all in-network care will be paid for the rest of the year. I plan on being at the surgeon's office as much as necessary until December 31

I am waiting on approval and then will receive a surgery date.

I think we all need to remember that long term complications are something that little is known about. The Lapband is not new, but has been improved since first use. Honestly, who knows what will happen another 20 years down the line. The worst is that it will have to come out. Other than that, no one knows about what unforseen complications will arise so long down the line because in the world of medicine it is still a relatively new thing.

I called my insurance with this particular question a few weeks ago, and when I spoke with my case manager, she said that insurance only looks at the number the surgeon submits in the pre-certification papers. I then called my surgeon's office and verified that they use the starting BMI. I would call insurance first, and then ask the office.

I would look over their policy to a T, and if you satisfy all requirements and your Dr has deemed it medically necessary, then do whatever you need to do. I saw a post yesterday about a person who went through http://www.obesitylaw.com/index.php after being denied and they were ultimately granted approval. I know if I am denied in my state, I can go to the state insurance review board and file a report against the insurance company because in Oregon if you meet all standards set forth in the policy and you are denied, it will not be looked at lightly. Good luck and keep moving forward.

Hi Charlie. I think you are doing the right thing. I am 23 and have been overweight the majority of my life too... I have dieted and lost some weight, but have never been able to lose enough or keep it off. I look at this like a new adventure and a new chapter, where I can experience new things and really be an active participant in life and not just the person on the sidelines. I ultimately made the decision when I saw my Aunt, who yo yo dieted her whole life, lose a majority of her weight and keep it off for over two years with the Lapband. I don't want to feel defeated each time the newest diet fails, and I don't want this demon on my back for the rest of my life. At this point in time, this is the only thing I can do to assure I get to a healthy weight. I have gone through all of the emotions, and still feel a little ashamed that I have to resort to surgery to lose this weight. I am one of those people that has always excelled in everything I've done, so admitting I'm a failure in this department is still hard. I'm sure a year down the road I will not feel any remorse over this decision.

If you are using insurance, you should check if the insurance covers bariatric procedures. If they do, sometimes there are stipulations on types of centers you can go to. My insurance will only pay if I go to a center of excellence. Some insurance companies require a letter of medical necessity from your primary care Dr. Regardless, it is a good idea to talk to your primary care and see what they say. Mine was supportive, but also wanted to run other tests to make sure I did not have any other medical problems affecting weight loss. I am also 23 and approx 40 BMI.

There will always be people who wished they hadn't, wished they had, and so on. This is a decision you need to make on your own and you shouldn't let other people's opinions sway you. If you are still not sure, sit down and write a list of all the things you are worried about and all the positives you will obtain with the band. This should help you make your decision.

I am not banded yet, but I would tend to agree with Cazzy... Sometimes I will take a pill and swallow it wrong, and then even after a ton of liquids it still feels like it's there, even though I know I've washed it down.

It leads to being too tight because people end up only being able to eat slider foods...

Like it's been stated, this is your decision. Don't forget that there are also negatives about the sleeve: higher complications, longer recovery time, possibility of weight gain after the body learns how to reabsorb things. Have you thought about the Iband? It's a procedure where they take the stomach and suture it into the shape of the sleeve without removing the stomach portion, and then a band is placed at the top. From what I've read, this lowers the risk of slippage with the band due to the stomach shape and also requires less maintenance/fills because the plication of the stomach only allows for so much to be held. The negatives of the lapband are easily found too: hard to eat breads/rice/pastas, fibrous veggies, some leaner meats. You must go in for regular visits with the Dr. to get fills and check ups. You may get a leak, a flipped port, an erosion, or a slip. Recovery time is a lot less than the other WLS because you are not getting anything cut or rerouted. I just look at it like this: if any of the above complications occur with the band and prove it to be a tool I cannot use, I can always petition to insurance to have a revisional procedure. But, if it does work as planned, I have my whole anatomy and I lose weight. And, maybe in the future they will have developed an even better way to lose/maintain weight and I can upgrade then. Just really analyze the pros/cons of both.

lapbandgal (http://lapbandgalsjourney.blogspot.com/) has a blog and didn't have her first stuck episode until recently- I believe she has had her band for over two years now. It is possible if you are super careful and mindful.