GeezerSue

postingnut... Let's talk for a minute about your "fills." Some doctors--mostly outside the U.S.--fill rather aggressively and the patients tend to lose rather quickly, with substantial restriction. Then, at the other end of the spectrum, are the U.S. doctors who--for reasons known only to themselves--have developed a "fill schedule." They seem to think that everybody needs 0.5cc of saline a month or six weeks post op, and then they need to bring it up to 1.0 at eight or ten weeks post op, etc. The techinique of not getting to the individual patient's proper level of adjustment was a major reason (IMHO) that, in clinical trials, the U.S. doctors had such horrible results compared to the rest of the planet. They doctors think that titrating everyone up on a standard "fill schedule" will keep the patient from suffering damage. But, of course, that's silly...because let's say a patient's "sweet spot" is at 1.7 cc's. Post-op, and through months of fills, right up to 1.5 cc's the restriction is insufficient. Then the patient goes in for the next fill and 2.0 is too much. So time and money were spent, months of frustration were felt by the patient and nothing was avoided, because the when the patient goes home with anything over 1.7 cc's the problems the doctor was trying to avoid are there anyway. So, what kind of fill are you getting? Are your adjustments done under flouroscopy? Are you upright or flat on your back when you try to swallow the barium? Have you logged into fitday and kept track of your meals so that you have something to print out and take with you? Don't stop looking for the answer, Sue

I think they would handle any problems related to the band the way they would handle any problems related to any other implanted medical device. The problem that necessitated the device may no longer exist, but the device is there and whatever issues result need to be coded correctly. I'm thinking of subdermal ports as needed for extended chemo. If after chemo, a patient's no-longer-needed port becomes infected, the insurance company can't just deny treatment based on the fact that s/he no longer needs chemo...right? I think the only iffy-factor would be for bands placed out of country before they were legal here. And Wayne's band was placed very early on. He was self-pay and went through Inamed to the doctors of his choosing...some of the most experienced doctors in North America. They were not stateside and that's why I got the impression he was a cash patient, with the doctors of his choice...not involving insurance in the U.S.

I just read your "I'm back!" post. Apparently, you are one of those whose mucosal lining swells when it is messed with. That would explain why nothing went through at first, you were really, really swollen. And that's why your brain thinks you need a gallon of 60-weight saliva heading down there, like Mighty Mouse, to save the day. I don't know about your doctor, but mine would have you drinking liquids--mostly clear--all day long. in small amounts per swallow. Like a shot glass, with ice chips and iced Water. And, this is a warning for you that, when you move to pureed and mushy foods, to do so only after you've given this episode of edema time to heal itself, and then, add those more solid foods very slowly. Do you live anywhere near a Jamba juice? They have many protein-rich, high calorie drinks which will save you from feeling starved after a week or so of this. Good luck! Sue

JC...relax! Here's what's happening... One of the ways the body "helps" us is that it springs into action to "save" us when food plugs up our stomachs. In fact, the first thing it does is "lube it," with plenty of gunky saliva. It seems the brain hasn't read the LapBand owners manual; it doesn't know you have an intentionally smaller stoma. It thinks you have something stuck. It's just trying to help it pass. And, if lubing it up doesn't help, guess what. You then feel a wave of nausea. It's just the body trying to deal with what it thinks is stuck food. You will learn, your brain will learn...that the stomach and its band are now in charge. Sue

Seanmamma... You wrote: "Yes, I am fully aware that wls is not a magic bullet and that it still takes PLENTY of effort and dedication. " I didn't think you were under the impression that wls is a magic bullet. I'm just mentioning the math. Statistically speaking, if you take two patients who need to lose 100 pounds and one of them does, the other will lose 40. WHY the second patient loses only forty pounds could be debated forever, probably. I'll bet that almost no one who is 100 pound overweight wants to undergo surgery for forty pounds; and as as self-pay, I can tell you that $250/lb. does not sound like a bargain to me. I'm just a post-op who is mentioning the odds to a pre-op. Good luck...

Sometimes, it's semantics... They say you lack "significant comorbidities." They need to define "significant comorbidities." It is likely you have one or more and just haven't yet had them diagnosed. For example, you say you snore. Nice info, but not a "significant comorbidity." HOWEVER, obesity-related sleep apnea may be a "significant comorbidity" as defined in their regulations. So, 1) find out how they define "significant comorbidity;" and, 2) find out if you have neglected to have one of those problems diagnosed and presented to them? ALSO, do not assume that you will lose 100 pounds in less than 50 months with the band! The average wls surgery patient DOES NOT lose 100% of his/her excess weight. The average patient loses about 65-70% of the excess weight, in about two years! So, two years post-op, the average wls patient with 100 pounds to lose will have lost about 70 pounds. Half the patients will lose more than that, and half will lose less. We often are so anxious to do something that we forget the average and that half of patients lose less than the average. Besides, you need to do the bike or treadmill or some exercise anyway. Sue

I WOULDN'T go for the fish, because the stuffing might--probably does--contain bread, and bread has messed me up since day one. And the chicken would be too dry for me. I would go for the prime rib. With a little real (not creamed) horseradish, please. Which is another way of saying, "If you were looking for easy answers and consistency, the band was probably not your best choice!":rolleyes:

Do you live near a Jamba juice? They sell very high calorie beverages. A P'nut Butter Mood--while not juice--is liquid and contains 800 calories in 24 ounces. Their website is www.jambajuice.com Sue

Cool site. I'm the same old Geezer as 'NotherGeezer, but most people think that says NorthernGeezer, so i'm giving up on that. But I'm still pretty old (55 at surgery, 56 now) for a wls patient, so I'll remain a Geezer. My surgery was 15 October 2002 in Monterrey, Mexico, with Roberto Rumbaut Diaz. He is one of--I think--two or perhaps three banded wls doctors. My progress WAS at about 2# per week, then I was unfilled by a doctor in Tijuana who "refilled" my band with a minimal amount of saline and nothing happened...for weeks and weeks and weeks. I was recently in Monterrey for a fill with Dr. Rumbaut and it appears that things will be improving. I don't post my weight because I think BMI is the only relevant measure...so I was (at the highest) around 52, I was about 48 when banded and am currently around 39...no longer morbidly obese. Thanks for the nice board. Sue