Alexandra

Hee hee! Thanks, Vera! I know, it's kind of amazing when I think about it. Back two years ago, when my second child was weaning and I realized my weight had stabilized at 340 lbs I knew my life had to change in a big way. Losing 100 lbs and keeping it off seemed like a faraway, distant dream. Now that dream has come and is coming true, thanks to a little piece of silicone. I. Love. My. Band. :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny

I take Synthroid too and my doctor re-checks my TSH before refilling my prescription every time. So far there's been no change through the loss of 100 lbs; I'm still taking the same dose I have been all along. I don't know anything about brand vs. generics, but of course you;d have to talk to your doctor about that.

Steve, we have ALL been through exactly what you describe. This is indeed the hard part. Exploring the limits placed on us by our bands is an unavoidable part of the learning curve, even if it causes pain from time to time. Just be VERY SURE to baby your esophagus and banded tummy after one of these episodes--go on liquids for an entire day, for example--because you are irritating things by retching even if nothing comes up. You must let your insides settle down each time this happens, because not doing so can lead to worse experiences such as esophagitis and a complete unfill. TAKE IT SLOWLY!! But if it makes you feel better, you are NOT alone.

Leigh, first I want to say that Leatha wrote what I would have said, word for word, before I had a chance to. So for my response just go back and read hers again. But I will add this: it is categorically UNTRUE that with proper restriction we are just as hungry as we were before. Sure, there are periods where hunger sets in with a vengeance, most commonly right after surgery and before the first fill when we're still healing and still on liquids. But that is temporary. With proper restriction, and given time to learn how our bodies talk to us, we learn that the feeling we get after a small amount of food is, in fact, the feeling of being full and satisfied. And that feeling lasts for a long time, thanks to our little band of silicone. Getting to that point can be frustrating and slow, and not always easy. For some they have good restriction right out of surgery and lose weight from the start, while for others it can take three or more fills before the sweet spot is found. But that's the beauty of the band--if it's not right, it can be adjusted! You certainly can't say that about an RNY. Probably one of the biggest challenges for bandsters is accepting the new "enough" both physically and mentally. I remember many dinners where two chicken wings were all I could eat and I just couldn't believe I was done. The first few times, "done" feels a little like being cheated out of the meal you want to have so badly, but then the weight starts to come off and you realize, hey, I am eating LESS and that's why I'm losing weight! Take another look at those chicken wings. Hmmm, too much crap and not enough good meat. Try instead some braised chicken with vegetables. How much will fill me up? Three or four heaping tablespoons. Really! And no, I'm not hungry, not for hours. Getting over the need to have salad, bread, and fries in mass quantity will be a huge challenge for you either way. But I have seen nothing anywhere that indicates that RNY people are able to eat any substantially larger amount than are bandsters. There's no reason you won't be able to have salad, bread, and fries in time. You will probably have discovered a whole new way of life by then. And to answer your last question, the only thing I have had trouble with consistently is scrambled eggs. I can eat bread, but it takes up so much room I can't eat anything else. Just about anything goes as long as it's eaten with enough caution.

As an insurance broker I see all the time that persistance pays off! Half the time the carrier has automatic processes in place to deny claims or precerts that are even a tiny bit off the radar scope just on the chance that people will give up and go away. And they often do! So just by keeping on you're vastly increasing your chances of success. You go, girl!! And good luck at your appointment!

Seppi, we're not here to "help" you decide for or against the surgery. Only you can do that. We can share our own experiences though, for what it's worth. In the 8 months prior to my banding I lost about 30 lbs "on my own" -- that is, with only the help of an over-the-counter product (the now-banned ephedra). I first decided to seek surgery in the summer of 2002. Motivated by my decision I found a new determination to cut calories and lose weight and went from 340 to 310 and maintained that, for a while. I even briefly considered dropping my battle with my insurance company over banding, since it seemed like this approach was working. But I stopped taking the ephedra out of concern for my life, and the weight started to come back on as it always had before. I realized surgery was still my best chance for a permanent solution. It's easy to look at surgery as a failure, especially when you've been fighting as long as I have, but I choose to look at it as a new weapon. Is it one you need in your arsenal? Only you can decide that.

Lenna, you may be too tight or it may just be that you're trying to do too much. After fills, many doctors recommend a day or two of liquids. Did you do that? Then, too, scrambled eggs are problematic for many people--I haven't been able to eat them at all since banding. How are you with truly mushy foods? Things like pudding, thick Soups, chili? Many people find it takes some time for a fill to "settle" and that as long as you can drink it's OK to give it that time. If you find yourself having trouble with liquids that's when it's time to call the doctor and get your fill adjusted. But if you're OK with mushies and eating very slowly, you may be able to live with the fill until you lose some weight and it will loosen up on its own.

Hi Daisy, Everyone's experience is different, of course, owing to various blood-sugar issues and whatnot, but what I hear most often is that when the constant input of high-carb food finally ends people's energy levels shoot way UP. I found this to be true even before banding, when I made a decision to concentrate on Protein. I'd submit to you that it's not how little you're eating that gives you a headache, but rather it's what you're eating or not eating. Of course, if you're anything like my husband, who gets cranky if he hasn't eaten in a long time, it may just be lack of food. But the fact is it takes a surprisingly little amount of fuel to recharge your furnace. My husband (who is normal weight, always been on the skinny side), can recharge on a tiny handful of nuts. And you will be able to also, even after banding.

Nancy, that's just Doug's nickname for himself. Dr. Bertha is giving him a second shot at life as a thinner person, hence "Take Two"!

Thanks, Michelle. I'm glad to hear it will respond to rest. Now everyone, listen up: NO NUTS BEFORE BEDTIME!!!

Hi Donna! It's very casual, you don't need to call in advance. There's a sign-in sheet when you get there, and in my experience there's usually about a dozen people or so in attendance. I'm looking forward to the next one, it's been too long!!

Thanks, Katie! Thankfully, both my older daughter and I tested negative for strep. But the doctor knows how families can hand the infection back and forth so she gave us a prescription for antibiotics to fill if we both feel worse as the days go by. The weird thing is that I do have a fever (99.5) and a headache, and a small pain in my lungs when I take a deep breath--all in addition to the funny feeling of obstruction in my throat/esophagus. The doctor couldn't pinpoint any problem: my throat, ears, and lungs were all fine as far as she could tell. I asked her about the possibility of the dreaded aspiration pneumonia, and she said no, that would present with much more severe symptoms. (Whew!) So today I'm not at all hungry and have had nothing but Water and coffee. Tylenol seems to have taken care of the headache and fever for the time being. Thanks for asking!

Hi Nancy, My doc's office has a great support group, one which has been lap-band-only since March of 2003. The office has a nurse practitioner who cares a lot, and she attends every meeting and sets the agenda. But the agenda is very loose, since these meetings are best used for people to just share their experiences and ask questions. The NP answers medical questions and anything relating to the surgery and postop procedures, but just as valuable is the exchange of actual, personal experiences by the banded patients. Often one of the nutritionists associated with the practice attends as well, and that's very helpful for obvious reasons. The meetings start with each person introducing him/herself, and right from that there's often fodder for discussion. And even when a formal subject for discussion has been scheduled most of the meeting is still given over to freewheeling conversation. The NP does moderate to some extent and, I'm sure, keeps things in check just by her very presence. The most vital role she and the nutritionist play is being there to correct misinformation. Since we meet down the hall from the doctors' offices once in a while one of the surgeons will drop by, but that's not a given. We don't have a newsletter, but the practice does have a website where meeting times and so on are announced. Overall, I think it's a great group and format and I really like it a lot.

Hey Michelle, I think I irritated my esophagus. Two nights ago I made the idiotic mistake of nibbling on peanuts almost immediately before bedtime. :ermm I woke up in the middle of the night with reflux, and then all day yesterday had low-level pain far down in my throat. I was very careful all day, consuming almost nothing solid, but then I made another idiotic mistake and had hot-and-sour Soup for dinner. (WHAT is wrong with me??) So I was awakened again last night with pain in my throat. Sitting upright and a Pepcid AC helped a lot, and a couple of hours later I could go back to bed. So this morning I still have a little minor pain in my throat. I read over your earlier thread on your experience but rather than resurrect that whole thing I'm hoping you'll share what the cure was here. I know Dr. Ortiz gave you a scrip for something...was that because it had gotten really bad? Do you think that really babying my throat for a couple of days will do it? (I am also still recovering from strep throat, which my younger daughter has just come down with AGAIN, so it is possible that I'm catching it as well. We're going to get tested this morning. Either way, it's herbal tea and soup for me this weekend.)

I have to say that IMO if a marriage can't survive the weight loss of one or both partners then there are other problems in the marriage. That said, I think one of the huge advantages of banding over RNY is the space of time we are given to adjust to our new bodies. I can understand that it's traumatic for a partner to be faced with someone who is half their previous size in the space of only a few months--it'd be traumatic for me too! My weight loss has never given my marriage one moment's stress and I can't imagine how it could. And I agree with Shrinking: if the stat were really 80% you can bet the press would be all over that!

Hi Donna, For what it's worth, I think the doctors are right in trying to be sure you understand that the band is more work than the bypass. What isn't helpful, IMO, is any attempt to make predictions on any given person's results. It ALL depends on you, when all is said and done. If you have done your research and believe you are a good candidate for the band, then there is nothing holding you back from achieving all you want to achieve. I've so far lost 100 lbs since deciding on banding, and I'm not done yet. By the percentages that's a good 60 - 75% of my excess weight (depending on what the "goal" number is), but losing a high percentage of my excess weight wasn't my only goal. Being banded has let me see a future as a normal, if heavy, person--not a morbidly obese individual whose life is severely limited and even endangered by weight. And that's all I ever asked of this surgery. I'm an Abkin/Bertha patient, too, and I'll see you at the support group meeting later in the month if you go. I look forward to meeting you! ;)

I use a couple of teaspoofuls of Benefiber in my coffee every morning. They also have crackers, but i find the powder easier to take. It dissolves completely and is totally tasteless.

Hi Geri, Aetna did pay for my lapband, but only after I took my appeals to a third party arbiter who overturned their denials. This was back in early 2003 and at that time Aetna was denying the band flatly, saying it was investigational. Now they've changed their tune somewhat, and if you look on their website you'll find the document that explains the circumstances under which they will approve banding. Have you done that? And do you know whether your policy covers bariatric surgery at all? I'd be more than happy to share the details of my experience, but they may not be at all relevant to you. How much do you know at this point about your plan and what it covers? Do you know if you qualify medically for surgery? Is your doctor in the network? There are many questions to be answered and my experience just may not be any help. But I'm glad to share if it will.

I am SO glad I don't have to do the cooking in this house. I agree, if you can't eat much there's very little motivation for cooking. I'm perfectly happy with something tiny for dinner and then, that's it. Cooking for other people has never been something I like to do, so I'm immensely blessed that I don't have to. It's absolutely true that this mental journey takes time. Even now, almost 18 months out, I still sometimes reflexively heap a plate full for myself. There were lots of times I found it frustrating and even saddening that my eat-till-I'm-busting days are done. But my band doesn't let me down and I simply can't eat more than a relatively small amount. And isn't that exactly, precisely what we want it to do? Can't lose weight until we EAT LESS than we were eating before.

My childhood stories aren't quite as dramatic as some others, but similar in many ways. My mother was obsessed with trying to keep me from overeating, so there were never any seconds or dessert for me. She was also a terrible cook whose idea of a kid's meal was okra and liver. GAG!!! My father, when he moved out, served great meals but also with the powdered milk. (I forgive him, though, since he really was doing it out of an effort to have milk available when his kids visited. Otherwise there never would have been any. He didn't know it was horrific.) I too like to have my cupboards stocked. It's a real sense of security. But my relationship has changed in that my vision of "enough" has truly changed; at least most of the time. I look at a plate of food and what used to be a first serving is now enough for three or four entire meals. I'm not kidding! Even when my band was loose and I had little restriction the amount I call a meal is no more than HALF of what it used to be. And that's what being banded has done for me. With no restriction it's harder to physically accept that a small amount is enough; the "full" signal takes longer to get to my brain, I guess. But even without good restriction I've been eating smaller meals long enough that it's finally sinking in. I don't EVER eat a "whole" anything, anymore. And I know that if I want more it will be there for me later. WITH good restriction it's amazing how little really is enough. I am continually surprised at how cool it is to be hearing that "full" signal so early, when pre-band it was something I almost never felt. I LOVE MY BAND.

This isn't always the case, actually. Large businesses may be able to write their own contracts with insurance carriers, but in NJ at least and possibly in others, small to mid-size businesses must buy standard contracts. Also, in many states there are mandated levels of coverage that override even standard contracts. (So, for example, a carrier may try to exclude something that is forbidden for them to exclude by law in that state.) It takes a lot of research. Start by checking with your employer to find out what kind of plan you have and where the bottom line authority is on contract provisions. One state's rules are not like the next one's, so asking here for advice will only get you so far.

Sheryl, what you're going through should probably be considered one of the phases of banding, since it's so common. I think once we get to a point where we've had the band for a long time, we think we know what we're doing and that's all there is for us. But it's not true! If you're PBing a lot that means you're eating too quickly or not chewing enough. It's very easy to lose sight of really how little room you have in your small pouch, so listen to what your band is telling you and slow down! The good news is that your esophagus is still plenty sensitive and telling you that you're overdoing it. So you are still in very good shape with regard to being able to make it work. That PBing is your signal to BE GOOD TO YOURSELF, eat slowly and only in small nibbles. This will let you lose weight, protect your band and pouch, and utilize the tool as it was meant to be used. It's not over yet! There's always a second chance with banding as long as you still have your band.

19 lbs in six weeks is a terrific start, Shrinking! You'll find as time goes on that there are lots of periods where, if you look at the short term, you could let yourself get frustrated. Learn NOW that you're doing yourself no favors by doing so. Maybe four pounds in five weeks sounds "slow," but 19 pounds in six weeks is FASTER than "average." That's more than three pounds a week!! Of course you're not going to be able to maintain that pace, and you don't want to. This is not a race and you are not trying to beat anyone else's mark. You are doing wonderfully well and if you're eating less than you were preband then you're going to continue to lose weight. I ate a whole slice of pizza last night, in fact. It took a while to chew and let each bite settle well, but I did finish it. So sure, a slice of pizza is "normal" if it's normal for you. There have been times when I couldn't think about eating a whole slice, like after my second fill when I first got really good restriction. Even now I don't like eating pizza because it generally isn't enough bang for the buck for me; less bready foods let me eat more and get more satisfaction from them as well as better nutrition. But once in a while it's fine and if I can eat the whole thing that's fine too. Don't obsess about what other people may or may not be doing. You've just begun exploring what it's like to live a banded life and your weight will continue to drop as you learn what works for you. Relax!!

I LOVE Coldwater Creek. Thanks, Harleynana!! (Well, there goes that New Year's resolution, the one about not spending money... that was fast!)

It's so funny how people keep saying I look happy in that picture. I have the WORST case of strep throat I've ever had and I'm very annoyed with my stepson who pretends he doesn't know how to use a camera when asked. But I'm a good actress, I guess! :D