Alexandra

I can't wait to read it, but I'm not about to brave crowds at midnight or anything like that. It will be at Costco soon enough.

When calculating your medical expense deduction, you are permitted to include travel expenses. But as with anything tax-related, you should ask your accountant for professional advice.

Welcome home, Road Queen!! Enjoy your well-deserved sleep. :)

DeeJay, did the new invoice say what it was for? If any of the costs were estimates when you were presented with the prices, they should have said so. Why are they asking you for 10% more now? You have every right to know and shouldn't feel awkward about asking. That said, your readiness to see this as a bad omen seems to say that you really have doubts about the surgery in the first place. It's unfortunate that you're getting a surprose invoice now, certainly, but the people doing the billing are not the same people who will be operating on you. One thing has nothing to do with the other. If you are ready for surgery, go ahead with it and deal with the additional $1400 as the separate issue it is. But if you have nagging doubts about being banded next week, so much so that this seems ominous to you, perhaps there's more going on and you should listen to that inner voice. Whatever you decide, good luck!

The question of what is and is not an appropriate expense for one's medical savings account or flexible spending account can only be answered by the employer. Accounts are set up differently, and some FSAs don't include medical reimbursement accounts at all. We can't possibly tell what your employer has set up as a benefit for your company. IF you have a medical reimbursement account or health savings account, there is a definitive list of what are considered appropriate expenses available from the IRS. I don't have the specifics handy, but if you search the IRS.gov website I'm sure it won't be hard to find.

Hi Edisto, Lots of people notice a lessening of restriction as they lose some weight. That's the beauty of the band, it can be adjusted as necessary. This is the reason people may need two, three, or more fills throughout the weight-loss process. Of course, it's not good to rely completely on fills to control our behavior, since the day will come when additional fill just has negative consequences. So think about whether you really are getting hungry or whether it's purely emotional or mental hunger that you're feeling. Fills only help with physical hunger.

Hi Fab, There are certainly people out there who have lost or are in the process of losing that much weight. For more first-hand stories you might try visiting extraordinarybandsters on yahoo.com. That list is made up of people whose BMI pre-surgery was over 50, I believe. My starting BMI was 47 and I've lost 120 lbs so far. The answer to "how long does it take" is entirely up to oneself. Personally I have not been overly anxious about losing weight quickly; it's an enormous change to face the world as a non-morbidly obese person, and there are lots of adjustments to be made both mental and physical. At almost two years out I'm taking a rest from aggressively trying to lose more weight, partly because of the loose skin situation. Everyone is different, but in my experience I didn't really have an issue with it until recently. I'm already uncomfortable with my upper arms and can tell that my stomach will be next if I lose much more. So I'm hoping that time and exercise will resolve things to a point where I will want to lose more weight. But in the meantime, I'm thoroughly enjoying life in a size smaller than any in my adult life, and trying to free my inner athlete. The great thing is that when/if I decide to try for even lower numbers on the scale, my band will still be there and still ready to work with me.

Hi NJChick!! Sorry I can't help you with Hackensack, I had surgery at Morristown Memorial. But I wanted to welcome you to LBT and say I'm glad there's yet another NJ girl joining the ranks!

LOL!! You're not alone.

Hi Vera! Good luck with the recovery...I hope it's smooth!!

Oh, my! Was this Dr. Bertha you performed for? Don't worry, I'm sure they've seen it ALL before. No matter how awful/weird/funny we think our medical situation is, believe me there is NOTHING that surprises doctors or nurses. I hope you're feeling better now. Good luck with the fill

Ugh. I've been feeling physically yuck lately, whether from allergies, the weather, stress or hormonal stuff I don't know. But I guess that doesn't really matter. The fact is I've been comfort-eating and it's backfiring in more ways than one. I'm just writing this down because I know it helps to do so. Problem: I'm eating because I'm bored at work. Summer is a slow time and the phones aren't ringing. I'm constitutionally unable to do only one thing at a time, so when things are this quiet I munch while working to stay occupied. But a small handful of mixed nuts has like 250 calories, so what the hell am I thinking? Solution: DRINK instead of eating. I don't know why I don't do this, since I always have a bottle of Water right to hand. I will try to do this today. Also, try to find more ways to be productive during quiet times at work. Problem: I'm dizzy and foggy from allergies. In an attempt to clear my head I am drinking too much caffeine. Result: I'm getting even less Fluid than I should be, since caffeinated beverages are a net loss to fluid intake. It also affects my mood and coping ability. Solution: Find the right allergy medication. Realize that it's worth the money. Problem: Feeling lousy, physically, and eating for comfort. Vicious cycle because eating my particular comfort food (ice cream in the evening) tends to increase the chance of reflux overnight, which compromises my sleep, which makes me feel lousier the next day. Solution: Think about the fact that eating for comfort doesn't work. Really concentrate on the things that will allow me to sleep well. Don't eat in the evening. Don't stress out about the kids' bedtime habits. GET MORE EXERCISE. Sigh. All I want is to feel better. I know that my hormones are wreaking havoc on me, so this may all pass tomorrow. But my behavior can definitely improve, so I'm putting this out there to hold myself accountable. Every day is a new day, a new chance to treat myself well, so I'm going to try to start today.

Bands are indeed fickle; or, more accurately, it's actually our stomachs that are fickle. You may indeed have some restriction for some reason, but only time will tell if it's "real." Have a great trip home and let us know when you're back safe!

I've heard of people developing lactose intolerance in the post-surgery phase, indeed. It's probably because milk suddenly makes up such a large percentage of intake, quantities our bodies didn't have to deal with before. Good luck!

Hi Seppi, One of the muscles that gets affected by this surgery is the diaphragm. I'm not 100% sure what the mechanism is, but lots of people report difficulty taking a deep breath during the healing phase. I know I felt it too, but it passes with time and is very likely normal post-surgery discomfort.

I am definitely going to be discussing life-stage issues with my GYN next week, yes indeedy. If there's anything non-medicinal I can do to minimize the negative effects of this transition I want to know about it. The last thing I want to do is go on a medication, and I know there are things I can try first. Nuts for Breakfast today. Literally. Ah, well, the day has just begun. My next good decision will be to finish my bottle of Water before lunch. And no more coffee!

Ali, this is something most doctors test for prior to surgery. Did you tell your doc about the symptoms before you were banded? Maybe he did some examination while banding you that would tell you whether you had an ulcer or not. In any event, I agree, call your doctor as soon as possible and tell him about your symptoms. It's nothing to play around with!

The allergy thing is something that comes and goes. When I first moved out to the "country" I was allergic to everything in the air, and went for the whole series of shots. It really seemed to work well, and though I stopped completely when my second child was born I've gotten through most changes of seasons with no symptoms or treatment. Some years I need help, but it's not a constant thing. But my DH is allergic to lots of things, and his doctor says allergies can be responsible for all sorts of symptoms you wouldn't blame on them. Recently, before I spent a few days in a house with a dog, I started taking Clarinex (we had some free samples lying around). The whole dog-weekend I was totally symptom free, and a few days after we got back I stopped taking them (the samples ran out). Now it's a few days after that, and I was describing my punky feeling to DH and he suggested it was allergies simmering. I don't have any of the usual symptoms; it's more just sleepiness and a general brain fog/low grade headache. This is a long, drawn-out way of saying that I really don't WANT to take allergy medication if I don't need it. Maybe the way I feel is something else; maybe it's the Clarinex working its way out of my system. (BTW, Seppi, I did take Zyrtec last year for an allergy-related sinus infection and it worked wonderfully!) Terri, do you get just one shot every year? How does that work? Wow, it'd be great to wean my DH off of some of the pharmacy he's taking. So work was less boring today, and I ate less. Then I went to the gym and since I didn't have to pick anyone up afterwards, I did 52 minutes on the treadmill! A total of 3.5 miles. Whew! Took a shower, had meatballs and Pasta for dinner, followed by four oatmeal/raisin Cookies with milk. By the time bedtime rolls around, my pouch should be nice and empty. Made fewer bad decisions today, so I'm a happy camper. Next week I have an appointment with my old OB/GYN, whom I haven't seen in 4 years. Wow, is she in for a surprise!

CONGRATULATIONS, TEENYBOPPER!! :) :D :D

My head is spinning thinking about the challenges people are facing in Liberia, and I'm in awe of you voluntarily being in the middle of it. Take care of yourself, and come back to us healthy!!

Be CAREFUL with those wraps, people!! They are seaweed and that was the cause of the very worst PB episode I ever had. When I get sushi I ask for sashimi, which is just the fish with no rice or wrapping. Yum, yum (I'm drooling just thinking about it). Go for the super white tuna. DELICIOUS!! :)

Hope all is well and nothing too dramatic was added to your "road map"! Rest up and heal quickly, skinny lady.

I'm thinking in terms of a negative reaction to anaesthesia causing vomiting. I don't know--maybe it's unrealistic. But if there's any chance that anything could happen that would compromise my banded future, I'd go for the unfill. But maybe there's not, and if that's what my doctor said I'd believe him.

I'd probably go for the unfill, too, Kelly. Putting fluid back in later on is a very small inconvenience compared to whatever complications a too-tight band might cause. Good luck, and I hope everything turns out OK!!

Yep, Micki, you're having the famous last-meal syndrome. We're all intimately familiar with it, and it's very hard to deny or control. The important thing to remember is that even though it will take time, living with the band will be NORMAL for you after a while. There will be nothing you cannot eat, so you don't have to panic now and overdo it. Banding will make you have better discipline about how you eat, but what you eat will be up to you in the future as it is right now. Don't worry, you're normal!! Good luck, and remember, you're not alone!!