Alexandra

As long as the bargain involves best VALUE for the price, and not just the best PRICE, there's nothing wrong with this approach. Even bargain hunters have to recognize that cheaper doesn't always mean better. And in this case, BETTER can make all the difference.

Firewheel, champagne has tiny little bubbles and they are probably OK. You might want to ask your doctor what he recommends. I know for myself I've stayed away from all carbonated beverages since banding just because I find them very uncomfortable to drink, but champagne is no problem.

YES, YES, YES, YES!! This was just about the HARDEST thing I had to learn, and I still struggle with it sometimes. You have to take one LESS bite than you want, and then wait and wait for a few minutes. There was a while there when I was actually getting up from the table and walking around just so I wouldn't take that one.more.bite. It's behavioral modification in action. Learn it. Do it. Be it.

These polls are fun, but again, we're not talking about a representative sample of bandsters here. I'd venture to say that 95% of the people who might vote on this poll are works in progress.

Yaaahoooo!! Congratulations, Leigh Ann. That's the best part of being banded, the NSVs!! You are truly inducted into the NSV club.

Very common phenomenon, as you can see.

Tod, yep, that's reflux. Your esophagus relaxes when you sleep and if you're horizontal, material still in the pouch can migrate up. Lots of people go through this, myself included. There are lots of behavioral tricks to try--not eating or drinking after a certain time in the PM, raising the head of your bed, avoiding trigger foods--but often a slight unfill will help more than anything.

Excellent post, Vines. I totally agree. I really wish banding would spread more quickly so more people would have access to great, experienced doctors closer to where they are. But it's worth seeking the docs out to get the results we all hope for.

This is a great idea to get some sense of how many of whom we have reading and participating here ate LBT. Thanks, Donali!!

I love your math. My point was only that the posting population of LBT is vastly more likely to be people who have had some sort of issue OR who are not yet or very newly banded. As such, that group isn't really a good sample. If there were any way to get every one of the banded members here to come and report on their progress--even if everything is going wonderfully well--we might have a better idea.

There have been several recent threads about this. Essentially, the eroding away of body tissue is a risk posed by any implanted device. There doesn't seem to be any specific cause or way to prevent it from happening. As far as rebanding goes, it may be possible once the stomach has healed, but I don't think it's widely recommended. However, when a band is removed your body goes back to being its pre-band self, possibly with an hourglass shape to the stomach. Since no major rerouting was done in the first place, removal of the band is relatively simple and safe. So while erosion sounds really scary, it's fixable and not going to endanger one's overall health if treated appropriately. Based on what we read here it may seem like it's happening a lot, but as far as I have ever heard the general rate of this sort of complication is not higher than 3%. This group here at LBT is not a representative sample, so don't be scared off by the recent incidences. Talk with your doctor and let him or her reassure you and explain what the risks really are.

It was 21 when I left the house this morning. Not fun. I handle it by dashing out 15 minutes before we have to leave and turning on the car. Someday I may invest in a remote starter. Indoors, lots of blankets, sweaters, and cuddling. We can't afford to crank the heat the way I'd want to these days. :rolleyes

I did this via conference call. I wasn't intimidated, but it quickly became clear that they had absolutely no intention of even considering a chance in their policy based on anything I had to say. The panel consisted of one nurse, one doctor, and one administrator (I think) from the carrier. The doctor had the courtesy to pretend he had read my information, and even made a comment or two about how "the literature" was piling up in favor of the band. But ultimately all three of them were on the carrier's payroll and they had their predetermined agenda to follow. It wasn't until someone OUTSIDE the carrier got involved that I had a chance. I hope your state gives you that opportunity if you are denied again. Good luck!!!

Congratulations!!! :(

I wouldn't say it's "normal," but it is not uncommon. Generally if you can manage it with behavioral changes (like not eating after a certain time in the afternoon) it's not too worrisome. Take care; if it gets worse, though, you may set off a cycle of inflammation that won't improve without medication or an unfill.

Jean, Lynn is right in that your out-of-pocket maximum (OOP) is the MOST you would have to pay in a calendar year for any services received. Deductible is paid first, and then you pay 30% of the rest until you have paid out $4000 total. You may want to clarify whether the deductible is included in that OOP; sometimes it's not presented that way. Your HMO may be open-access--that is, it may also not require referrals. The only real difference between HMOs and PPOs these days is that with an HMO there is NO option for out-of-network coverage. You must stay in the network to receive benefits. Good luck!

Oh, Penni. :( You know that you'll get through this just fine, and will be stronger on the back end. When you read this you'll be bandless, but you'll ALWAYS be a bandsister to me. Take care and heal fast!

Every insurance situation is different. You have to look at YOUR policy, YOUR medical situation, and see what is needed and whether you can meet the requirements. Some people have no trouble and others have to fight. It's certainly worth engaging in it; you will NEVER know if it's going to happen for you if you don't try.

Jill, these denials are sometimes not a matter of anyone actually reading anything. I know my second denial turned around on a dime--it just was a matter of routine for the carrier and they weren't at all interested in anything I had to say. Do you have an external review option? What are your rights as a consumer in your state with regard to insurance carrier decisions?

I read that statistic too, but wasn't AT ALL daunted by it. I don't care what 25% of people do, or what 75% of people do, or whatever. All I was interested in knowing is how the band works, what its effects are, and whether its action can help ME lose weight and keep it off. It does require participation on the part of the patient, serious effort and a certain amount of luck. But no other weight loss regimen I have ever encountered promised ME the effect I needed--to get full faster, and to stop eating sooner. If someone needs a different kind of help to lose weight then clearly, the band may not be right for that person. It doesn't surprise me at all that up to 25% or even many more people who get banded subsequently decide it's not what they needed. That's a screening issue more than anything else. I think we're all responsible for screening ourselves as candidates for this surgery, and if we turn out to be wrong that doesn't in any way mean that the band is to blame.

Sometimes the few days right after a fill are a little difficult, which may be due to swelling. That's why the doctors often want us to stay on liquids and mushies for a couple of days after a fill, until we know exactly how we're going to react. If you can eat and drink, even slowly, then you might want to work with it rather than have an unfill. Restriction can change over time, and as you lose some weight it could loosen up. Just eat VERY SLOWLY, taking a minute or more between bites to let the last one go down. If it's truly painful or you are having trouble getting enough liquids down, an unfill can't hurt. But I know I've felt exactly as you describe and it's been temporary. Good luck!!

Fingers crossed for NO PROBLEMS!!

Hope you're feeling better! Take care, and let us know what the doctor says.

Jenna, those numbers are misleading. They are not unique views; that count goes up every time someone looks at this thread, whether they've looked before or not. 500 views does not mean that 500 different people have looked, just that it's been looked at 500 times. I'm responsible for many of those views all by myself.

I'm in, too. That's pretty cool!