Alexandra

This is the hardest part, waiting for the diagnosis. It may sound strange, but once you have the news it's easier to deal with than the waiting. My sister-in-law is being treated right now for breast cancer and she says the chemo isn't as bad as the pre-diagnosis waiting. Our hearts are with you and your mom at this very hard time. Fingers crossed for good news!!

Cathy, every state has different rules regulating insurance. The first place to check for your options is your state's insurance department. Here in NJ, for example, if you're even eligible for group insurance you simply are not eligible for insurance purchased as an individual, period. (While that sounds bad, the flip side is that if you are NOT eligible for group insurance, you cannot be turned down for individual coverage, medical conditions or no. So there's a good side.) So we can't possibly advise on what your options might be with regard to changing policies. But sure, it's always possible that another carrier might look at banding differently than BCBS IL does, so if you're eligible for some other policy through your employer definitely check it out.

That is a great idea, La_madam, indeed! I haven't heard that yet, but it's really great that good decisions are starting to be made. This is the first day I've really had a chance to catch up on all the news, and it's just horrifying, horrifying, horrifying from top to bottom. I've been in tears several times today.

Check in again on September 26, and you may indeed have lost about 20 lbs. But you may not, and that would be perfectly normal and well and good too! It just doesn't pay to expect pounds to drop off on a regular schedule. You will lose weight, in fits and starts, and it will continue if you respect your band and the new eating habits it helps you create.

Margo, that sort of thing restores my faith in human nature. Good on them!!

COME TO THE SUPPORT GROUP MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 28th!!! I know that's more than three weeks away, but if you do nothing else between now and then you will have taken a big step forward if you make a commitment to yourself to be there. The nutritionist will be there and you can make an informal connection with her even if you haven't gotten around to making that appointment. And you'll get lots of support from bandsters who have been there and come back with the T-shirt!! Wednesday the 28th at 7:00 p.m. See you there?

Pianoman, there are LOADS of things you can eat that fall under the liquid diet protocol. That said, 4 weeks on strictly liquid does sound like a long time. However, the only rules to follow are those of YOUR doctor, so if you're really uncomfortable give the office a call and see what they tell you.

Congratulations on the half-year! Isn't it amazing how fast the time goes by?

Jodie, I'm just back from vacation and wanted to say congratulations on your banding! Everyone else is absolutely right in their words; what you're experiencing is perfectly normal and there will be LOTS of periods of days or weeks with no weight loss as your body adjusts to its new low-calorie regimen. Please don't watch the scale too closely, or if you do, don't let the numbers influence your sense of success. You're on your way and in 12 months you will look back at this moment and wonder what the heck you were worried about.

So I go for my unfill appointment today, and the doc agrees that this is the right approach. Naturally, I have no idea how much is in my band, since they don't tell us. (They're in the "too little, too much, just right" school.) So I'm thinking he can take out .25 or .5 cc and that would do the trick. As it turns out, my TOTAL fill was only a little under 1 cc!! I was amazed; I figured it was somewhere in the 3 range. As I described my symptoms, of course the doctor felt it necessary to observe that these are symptoms of slippage. (I know he has to say these things, however much I didn't want to hear them.) He took it all out, so now I'm sailing with an empty band. I'm going in for a barium swallow under fluoroscopy on the 8th of September, and if all is well (please, please, please let all be well) I might get some Fluid put back then. In the meantime, my fingers are crossed that if there IS any slippage, being unfilled will correct that. Good vibes to that effect will be greatly appreciated, y'all!

Hi peoples!! I'm back, and am happy to report that the unfill did the trick. Too well. I've been totally reflux- and regurgitation-free since the unfill, and haven't had a single negative experience to report. I even slept with no particular elevation to my head. The vacation was fabulous, and since I could eat anything I wanted, pretty much, I did just that and put on several pounds. But it was worth it!! To answer the questions about symptoms, what was happening to me was fairly recent. I'd had no issues at all in the first 15+ months of banding, but back in the winter of 2004-5 I was filled a skosh too tight and started to have nighttime symptoms. I never had acid backing up into my throat, but I'd wake up coughing because there was Fluid in my esophagus that would come up into my mouth as I slept. Back in March I had a tiny unfill, which fixed the issue for several months. Then, back in July or so, it started up again even in spite of changing behavior to avoid it. But it was still only occasional. Then in August on a trip to CA I ate stupidly and incautiously, resulting in inflammation. This time I really had bad reflux/regurgitation at night for more than a week, and I knew it was time for another unfill. I don't think there was anything wrong with my fill level or my band, but my esophagus and stoma had been so irritated that I had to do something to let them rest. (Of course, the day I made the phone call to get the unfill my symptoms resolved spontaneously. That is always the way, with me.) So now I'm totally unfilled and completely symptom-free. Next Thursday I have an appointment for a barium swallow which will--I hope--show that there is nothing wrong with my band, and I'm very optimistic that some fill can be put back. Fingers crossed!

I've been miserable over the last four weeks with varying degrees of reflux symptoms, and i've decided it's time to just go for a significant unfill to see if that helps. I haven't had a really good night's sleep in quite a while, and I'm not eating well either. I do think I irritated my system while I was in California, but some of the symptoms had started before I even left. Now it's pretty bad and even though I'm trying to stick completely to liquids I can still feel there's something not quite right. Thursday I'll go for an unfill, taking as much as half of my fill out. Wish me luck!!

OK, now we're off on our REAL vacation this year, a week in Cape Cod starting tomorrow before sunup. I've been putting off packing long enough, and now I totally have to get started. So I'm signing off, and you may not hear from me until the 5th or so. Don't worry! I'm on the beach, chasing my kids, or sitting on the porch with a good book. Have a great week, y'all!! :D

Kat, that standard is outdated but there are some carriers who are just very slow about updating their policies. It is probably something you can get over or around, but it will take some time and possibly an appeal or two. Try collecting information from medical sources or other carriers who publish their reasons why VBG is no longer recommended. Good luck!!

Yep, that's standard language in most contracts, actually. This is exactly why it's so crucial to prove medical necessity...that is, to "qualify" for the surgery. Below certain medical criteria no insurance carrier will pay for bariatric surgery, but above those levels most will (unless there is an employer-dictated exclusion). Signals look good...Good luck!!

Cuteness!! I should try to get a shot of the family of wild turkeys who traipse through our yard from time to time. Turkey alert! Turkey alert!!

Nickie, I too thought the chances of slippage diminish over time, and they in fact do to some extent. But there will always remain a portion of the band that is not sutured to anything, and given the right kind of provocation the stomach could move in just the wrong way (I guess) resulting in a slip. My doctor said the risk really stays with us forever, although it's a small risk if we allow the band to really control our eating habits the way we're supposed to.

You know what's weird? The very night I decided not to take a Pepcid Complete, my symptoms disappeared. I'm wondering if prolonged use of that sort of thing just makes it worse? My last bout I was taking Zantac 75, which didn't help at all, and when I stopped taking it once again my symptoms disappeared. My approach now is to only take something when I feel heartburn pain, which sometimes happens after I've eaten a little too much. A Rolaids softchew does the trick, and the acid is gone. But I think I'm done trying nighttime meds, because they never helped at all with the mechanical aspects of reflux and acid was never the problem at night.

Anwyn, you are NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT a loser!!! You're perfectly normal, and we've all gone through periods just like the one you're in now. Try to give yourself permission to eat whatever you want, but be mindful of quantities because that now matters to your banded tummy. Really, it's not at all surprising that you're hungry and feel like you have no restriction--as you may have heard, the band is not designed to work unless it's properly adjusted. Once you get your adjustment, or after the 2nd one, perhaps, you'll feel more physical signals telling you when enough is enough. Good on you for posting this, girl! As they say, you can't change what you don't acknowledge, so you're on your way to a better way of life.

Thanks everyone!! I really appreciate all the good thoughts. Kelly, you've given me hope! Somehow I too totally believe there is nothing wrong with my band; my symptoms were just too obviously linked to something I did, and went away with time (i.e., healing of irriration). But I wanted another barium test so this will work out well. Believe me, I will keep y'all posted. Don't worry about that! You know, support really matters. Last night, while I was entertaining my deepest fears and calming myself with ice cream, I asked my DH if he'd still love me if a) we had to pay for an expensive revision that wasn't covered by my insurance, or we had to pay for an expensive removal that wasn't covered by my insurance and I gained all my weight back. He looked at me like I had three heads. He said I loved you then, I love you now, and I'll love you no matter what happens. Suddenly all was right with the world. :D

Kelly's right, flower. That's what the check means--that you have posted in that thread.

Two years almost exactly. So far Sue is winning!

That's phenomenal!! Congratulations to the both of you; you're inspirational.

Wow, at that price I'd have bought a size 8! (And ended up giving it to someone else, I'm sure.) Congratulations on the great NSV!!

Jessie, do you have an Inamed band? The smallest one they make holds a max of 4ccs. You might want to get clarification on that.