Alexandra

Chinese restaurants! I don't know where you are but there must be a Chinese restaurant somewhere close by.

Hey, Malawi-lady! Nice to hear you're settling in and doing so well!! We can't wait to see pics. Congratulations on your wonderful progress!!

There's no way to predict how YOU will feel in two weeks, Mia. MY experience was that fills didn't make themselves felt for at least two weeks, sometimes more. Everyone is different and in my opinion it's only prudent to wait like a month (especially for women) to see how the adjusment works out.

You should be in very good shape with that insurance, plusizeteen. The important question is whether you are medically qualified for surgery--are you diagnosed with morbid obesity? Then you have to see what your contract says about bariatric surgery and weight loss treatment; does it cover treatment for people who have that diagnosis?

Rice cakes dissolve into nothing when they get wet, so sure you can eat a lot of them. Eat something solid and you will likely not have the same reaction. Also, many people have reported that it can take a week or two for a fill to "kick in" and they are surprised by restriction when they don't expect it. Take it slow, think about what you're eating and how you're chewing. Breathe between bites. Think about whether you want that next bite or if you are actually getting full. You may not feel what you think of as restriction, but you may in fact be able to get satisfied on less food IF YOU LET YOURSELF FEEL IT. That's the hardest part of this journey and it's never too soon to start working on it.

You know what? Even Inamed changes its guidelines from time to time. So if your doctor or someone else's doctor isn't up on whatever the very latest recommendation is, that could account for the variations. I know my doctors have changed their post-op protocol pretty dramatically since I was banded 2.5 years ago. The bottom line, is TAKE IT SLOWLY. Everyone reacts to surgery and adjusments differently, and the post-fill protocol is designed to allow any swelling to resolve before you introduce food again. Any given patient may not HAVE any swelling, so for that person it may be a moot point, but the recommendation is there because many people DO swell and solid food getting stuck will just make it worse. That can lead to an unpleasant situation and possibly an emergency unfill. Maybe your friend's doctor has had too many patients with that situation arise, so now he's being more cautious with his advice.

Dee Dee, wow, I'm so sorry you're going through this! Can you give us more information? What exactly happened before your band was removed, and how much erosion did you have? What did your doctor say when the band was removed--was there any reason to think that your stomach wouldn't heal properly? Do you have any other medical conditions that might have contributed to this problem? This sounds like a really unusual complication, and we'd all love to hear more. Sadly there isn't much advice we can give, unless maybe suggesting new questions for your doctors. But this isn't something I've ever heard of related to banding, so you'd be teaching us, not the other way around. Good luck, and good healing! :hug:

The first time I asked for a seatbelt extension I thought I would die from embarrassment. But really, it's NOT A PROBLEM. Flight attendants get asked this all the time, and they are trained to be nice and accommodating. Imagine if you needed a pillow, it's just a comfort thing and you have every right to request something to make yourself more comfortable. Go, don't let this stop you!!

Kelly_B, welcome and congratulations on your banding! The answer is that yes, MOST people banded in the U.S. have their adjustments done by their surgeons or someone their surgeons direct them to. But many, many people have the surgery done out of the country, or may have juse moved away from their surgeon's area, and therefore need someone else who can do their adjustments and give whatever attention may be needed. As the band becomes more popular, too, I think adjustments will be seen as a potential profit center, and offices will be popping up around hospitals or just population centers where people can go for adjustments. Technically, anyone can adjust the band, but there's more to a proper adjustment than just a little saline. I know I wouldn't be comfortable having a fill from someone who didn't know me, my band history, and had LOTS of experience doing band and adjusments. So if overall, if a bandster can go to his or her surgeon for adjustments, DO IT.

Julesmck, if your surgery is at 11:00 a.m. you probably won't be released for several hours afterwards. My surgery was outpatient too and it was at about 8:00 a.m, and I got home around 2:00. If your DH needs to be somewhere with your son after work, say, you will need someone ELSE to pick you up from the hospital. Once you're all home, though, one competent adult is more than enough to care for you and your child. Really, you're just going to be sitting around. Everyone heals differently, of course, but unless there's some problem you won't require any special care. I would have been fine by myself, too.

Oh, Trish, I hope you can find a doctor who takes you seriously and gets all your issues fixed. This is going on way too long. :eek:

So Wheetsin, what color are you getting? :biggrin1: I love the deep red. :madgrin:

Oh my god, Wheetsin, that is one alarming picture! I'm going out and getting a Volvo right now...(I wish...) Seriously, that Volvo SUV is, hands down, my favorite car. My boss drives one and I've ridden in it a few times. If I had my druthers that would be the car I'd be in the rest of my life.

My hunger has been wholly different since banding. OF COURSE I get hungry...I'm human, after all. But now I can eat just a little and get satisfied for a couple of hours! Yesterday I was really busy at work and didn't get a chance to eat breakfast, and at 10:30 my stomach was growling. I ate two little Baby Bell cheeses (50 calories each) and I wasn't hungry again until like 3:00. Now that's what I needed!

Jenna, there already is a calendar. Look in the blue bar along the top and click on Calendar.

Try writing to don.mills @ inamed.com with that question. He's a very helpful guy. :grouphug:

Go to the FAQs and References page, and you'll see a list of acronyms and their definitions.

I too know what you mean, but the good news is that it really does go away. What helped me is remembering WHY I went through this, and that turns the anger to gratitude that there really is something stopping me from overeating. This is what the band is FOR, and I am so happy when it stops me from taking that next bite. What I've had (and still have) to work on is actually paying attention to those bites I do take, so I have time to enjoy them before I have to stop. Mindless nibbling has been my downfall in the past, so being aware and appreciating my food from the very first bite lets me be OK with the fact that when I'm done, I'm done. This is why you did it, Aligirrl! As the weight comes off, you'll start to appreciate it more.

Hi Steph! The best answer is always: follow your doctor's instructions. If he was given a pre-op diet of liquids for two weeks, there is a reason for it. Doing this will shrink his liver and make the surgery itself easier and safer. It's not a mindless exercise in self-deprivation. Of course people "cheat" and eat food during this time, but they're only cheating themselves when they do that. (Of course, if we all only did what was right, we'd never have been here in the first place.) As for the post-op routine, I think your husband definitely should transition over at least a week or two through mushy and soft foods before going straight to hard solid food. It's just being cautious and I'll bet if you asked the doctor or nutritionist for more detailed information they'd agree. Two weeks after surgery, your husband will be fine to travel. By that time, most people have pretty much fully recovered and are feeling terrific. He'll probably have already lost a few pounds and might have loads of extra energy! As far as what to eat goes, he can just go with what feels right. As I said, it's probably a good idea to take it slowly with soft foods at that point, so Soups, chilis, dips, cheeses, Beans, Mexican food (stuffing from burritos, for example), anything that can be mashed to a paste in the mouth is fair game. He'll know if he eats anything his body can't handle. The general recommendation for daily amounts of Protein is 70-80 grams. You may think the Protein shakes are expensive, but remember he's not eating anything ELSE, so there's lots of money saved there.

Diane, it SUCKS to live in Arizona and need health insurance. I hope and pray that someday soon it will be illegal to deny anyone health insurance. The new Massachusetts law should set the stage for other states to follow suit, if it works. But for now, the states make their own insurance laws and some are just way worse than others. AZ is particularly backward in this regard. Thankfully, that sort of exclusionary underwriting for health insurance is not the norm in most states.In NY and NJ, for example, individual health insurance can't be denied to someone for health reasons.

Sleepyjean, I know exactly how you feel. I fought my insurer for almost a year because self-pay was just not an option for me. Overall I'm sure I've spent $1500 or so (just had a $550 cost-share for my endoscopy!) but without the insurance I never would have gotten here at all. It was worth the fight.

Hi Kelly Ann, nice to see you! Glad to hear you're doing well. I can totally relate to the problems you have when congested with mucus. I have the exact same issues, and I think I'm just going to have to stay on allergy medications at certain times of year. It's a drag, but just now my band is completely unfilled and though I'm not gaining, I do worry what I'd do if I had another congestion/reflux attack. There's no more Fluid to remove! The good news is that I'm fine with my level of restriction, and not gaining. Thank goodness. Good luck and keep posting!

Bluenightmare, what was the reason for the denial? I know BC in New York covers banding, so what was their specific reason? Are you on a group policy that has an exclusion or something?

Pam, I wouldn't say it's "normal" but it is indeed possible. BABY YOURSELF before it gets worse. Irritation begets irritation, and many people have discovered that eating solids too soon after a bad episode just starts the cycle anew. If this were to happen to me I'd stick strictly to liquids for a week. You may think that's a bit much, but I really think that's what I'd do. I've had two bouts of terrible reflux over the last two years that could only be alleviated by an unfill, and I think at least one of them was brought on by my not letting my system heal from just what you're describing. Be careful, and let yourself get better before trying solid food again. We're delicate organisms and have to remember that sometimes!

Photo, this was clearly written by non-native English speakers. It's just laughably imprecise language, and no, you are not a dink. What sort of site is this?