Alexandra

Hi "Loser" -- I completely understand where you are coming from. When my band came out back in April, as soon as I was allowed to go back on regular food (about two days out) I immediately gained 10 lbs. It's almost like I woke up one morning and there it was. In the next 2 months I gained another 20 lbs, and got seriously scared. I've managed to halt the process now by staying farther away from breads and pastas, which were something I had missed and so I sort of had a field day with them when I could. Exercise is also absolutely key; I've recently started swimming and it really seems to be helping. My weight has been stable now for about a month, but I have no illusions about being able to maintain that long-term. I'm not at a "normal" weight like you though; if I really were "thin" I don't know if I'd be willing to undergo a more drastic surgical procedure. Getting a new band is a no-brainer for me--though I didn't have erosion so my decision was easier. I wish you all the luck in the world with whatever you decide.

I don't know who that is. Alex the site owner procured that photo, and I think it's probably a stock picture from some public domain source. As far as I know it's not a bandster.

Congratulations, indeed!! What a wonderful success (and love!) story. :biggrin1:

If you're going directly from one insurance plan to another with no lapse in coverage, there will not be a pre-existing condition exclusion. Are you going to a new job that will be covering you? If so, it's possible the plan design and details are determined by the company you'll be working for, not the carrier (so it's no good to ask if, for example, "Aetna" covers something). Whether your port repair would be covered depends on a whole lot of other things, but a pre-existing condition exclusion would NOT apply if you had no gap in coverage. In general, though, the insurer you know (especially if it's GOOD insurance) is better than the one you don't. If you already know it could be covered anytime through October, I'd recommend getting it taken care of sooner rather than waiting.

I don't agree with alimony at all, except in very rare cases. No adult should be completely unable to support him- or herself, and it's unfair to expect an ex-spouse to pay for an able-bodied person who could be working. That said, yes, I agree that IF a new marriage were to be considered grounds for termination of alimony (which, again, should only be very rare cases), THEN a domestic partnership should be weighted the same way. But I don't think it should. The whole idea behind alimony that ends when a recipient gets married is completely absurd. It reeks of outdated notion that women are the property of their husbands. Alimony should only be given for a limited period, while the recipient undertakes education or job training, and then only in the instances where a spouse put his or her career aside while married for the sake of the family. Someone receiving alimony on those terms should continue to be entitled to it whether remarried (or partnered) or not. It's not the NEW spouse's responsibility to pay for financial and career decisions made in the first marriage.

Hee hee! I have it and liked it, I guess, too. But for me, going from no makeup at all to this was too much of a hassle. It's all I can do to put moisturizer on my face in the morning. But I do like Everyday Minerals, which is what I bought. As far as makeup goes, this powder stuff is the most comfortable thing I've ever tried.

I don't understand either. If your surgeon and the facility are both in the network, that means they have a contract with the insurer. They are not supposed to be billing you or asking for money up front. Something is wrong here, someone is not telling you the truth. What's going on?

Good luck, theatreprincess!! Here's hoping you have a quick and uneventful surgery and recovery. You're on your way!!

One of our great (one might say, extreme) LBT success stories may be in an advertisement for the surgeon. That's wonderful, but it got me thinking about advertising--specifically, weight-loss advertising. Do you respond well to stories of wild success with before-and-after pix that put Hollywood to shame? ("I lost 100 lbs in a month and have a whole new life!" says a petite, tan thing in a bikini.) Are these ads likely to appeal to you, and make you think you can do it too? Or do they backfire? I personally do NOT respond to that sort of advertising at all, never have. What is going to make me sit up and take notice is a normal-sized person, saying that he or she has lost 5-10 lbs a month over a year or more. If they say something about maintaining a loss that'll get my attention, too. The very idea that I could be one of those wild success stories is so beyond the pale that I just tune out. Am I weird or just cynical? Or have I just been obese so long that I've lost the sense of fantasy that these pitches appeal to? (I am not, even in my lizard brain, able to believe that ANYTHING could work quickly, effortlessly, for ME.) The stories that inspire me are the ones of perseverance, backsliding and progress, time spent learning, and a slow progression of improvement. Those are the stories that let me know I too could be a weight-loss success. Maybe I'm not the "typical" obese person, having been obese all my life and not just carrying around a bit of adult-onset poundage. Maybe that's why the quick fixes leave me cold. But from hanging around here for more than 4 years, I think I've learned that I'm not that unusual. So what is your reaction when you see a really dramatic banding success story? Is that the most effective advertising, to you?

You have a lot to be proud of, Pete. You must be a hero to your doctor's office!!

Insurance carriers have specific protocols they follow with regard to how they assess the suitability of medical treatments. This is something I hear doctors talk about all the time, and unfortunately it's hard to fight. In my experience, different carriers have different protocols, but pretty much none will pay for a fill prior to 6 weeks out (as that is the standard medical regimen). You could argue with the carrier you have, but by the time you're done arguing the time will have passed, so what's the point? They would just cite studies that say waiting three months gives a better outcome (and they are out there, I know), and use that as justification. Good luck!

OK, OK, that's enough with the personal comments. Let's start again. This was a reasonable question and it's not so surprising that we were curious. Faith must have missed your answer to me, that's all. No personal attacks, everyone. Thanks!!

PENNI!! How great to see you and awww, what a gorgeous little guy! Congratulations on your 8th grandchild (wow!). How are you doing, in other respects?

Oh my word, Annabeyta, what a horrible thing to have happen! I'm so glad you pulled through and are able to share your story with perspective. No question, surgery is a HUGE decision and the reason for that is the possibility of stories like yours. Thank you for telling us your experience, and best wishes for continued healing and strength.

Thanks, WClady! I'm starting to get excited about this again, as the weekends roll in faster and faster. August 15 will be here before I know it!!

They wouldn't be bad for you, no. The general thinking, though, is that once you're on solid food you should get all your calories in that way--from solid food. Replacing a meal with a liquid if you don't have to could lead to your taking in more calories without realizing it. Protein shakes do have a place in many bandsters' lives, most often as breakfast for those who have more restriction in the mornings. But it's really easy to drink too many calories, so it pays to be careful.

For a time after surgery you're going to be on a total liquid diet, and Optifast is as good a protein shake as any. What are your doctor's instructions for postop eating?

Oh, and for what it's worth, the statistics come from the doctors reporting their results. There are all sorts of procedures for that, which almost never involve interviewing the patients.

Ann, I'm sorry if I missed a thread somewhere, but can you explain what exactly happened to you? That sounds like the most severe bout of complications I have ever heard, and I'd love to hear more about it. What was your doctor's assessment? What did they say went wrong? How did you end up in the ICU, especially? I mean, even the very worst cases, band removal is pretty simple. What happened?

I think this is just CYA language that they can't really enforce. Any insurance carrier is obligated to cover emergent care, so if you have a complication that really requires instant attention they would have to cover that. The alternative would be a lawsuit, and no carrier wants to go there. However, they are within their rights to exclude coverage for some complications that might be seen as elective in their own right. The good news is that even the very worst complications of banding are easily handled, and won't bankrupt you. In the very worst case you would have to have surgery to have it removed--an operation that isn't likely to exceed $20,000. On the other hand, I think it's a big concern that if you go into this thinking that your insurer won't cover anything, you might be inclined to ignore symptoms you shouldn't ignore. And that's the path to big complications. Successful banding requires close attention and if you don't think you can get the care you will need this could be a problem.

Hi Heather, congratulations on your banding! The best advice I have is to TAKE IT SLOW. Listen to your body and when you have had enough just stop eating. Start with the soft solids, and don't be surprised when you have no reaction. :car: Take each bite with care, and pay attention so you'll know when you're no longer hungry.

Glad to hear it, Brad. You had me worried there for a moment. You ask how we deal with the ads? I just turned the TV off. It really is amazing, isn't it? During my postop period I read a lot of books. :car:

Now that we're all in the home stretch, I'm interested to see what pre-op regimens our doctors have us on. My doctors seem to be almost unique in that they have NO preop diet for patients. (Well, unless you count liquids the day before, and nothing by mouth for 12 hours prior to surgery, which I don't.) So what's your doctor got you doing?

I'm with Becky, Judi, but wholeheartedly applaud your initiative!! For me I know that losing weight can't be the focus of my day/week/life or I start to resent it and sabotage myself. That's the reason I tend not to participate in these things. (Not that I don't recognize their value--being a moderator forces me to come here regularly, and I know beyond a doubt it's made a huge difference to me over the years.) I'll be watching from the sidelines!

A PB can happen at any stage, and even take us by surprise when we think we're not at all restricted. Eating too fast or taking too big a bite can cause it, so take it slowly no matter what stage of the adjustment process you're in.