faithmd

Sweethot: I think it would be a great idea to still send a note in a nice card. Simply say that you are sorry did not know until they told you that he had been killed and you feel terrible that you were unable to be there for them at the time. Sometimes it is nice to get a card a while after a death, so much support floods at you immediately following but in the coming weeks and months it seems that you are alone and your loss forgotten. At the hospital we send cards at regular intervals when parents lose a child. Immediately after, a few weeks later, six months and then at the one year mark. I'm sure you would have sent flowers or a plant at the time if you had known. Perhaps you can offer to plant a tree in his name, maybe a flowering shrub?

Brandy, can you give me the brand of Protein bar? What gym do you go to? I'll def. call you when I get my next appointment, maybe I can make it a day and come over and see you on my way home. I know you guys welcomed me before on the other thread, but I guess I was being a bit silly. I wasn't feeling quite yet that I was into this thing (band/weightloss) long enough yet to be considered a "Steady Loser" (not sure I am much of a loser these days, but I'm trying). Being clique-ish is not such a bad thing, you have wonderful support from one another and I would LOVE to become a part of this. I really, really loved reading the old thread (yep read the whole thing) and admire each and every one of you. Thank you again for once more welcoming me into your very fabulous "club." I have some chips in the house, DH loves them...Pre-band I'd have eaten half a can of Pringles at a sitting, fortunately post-band I'm not craving them. I guess my tastes have changed. Sadly I now want sweets like I've never wanted them before. But like you I keep tossing them into the trash. I can snarf about three fries from my husband's plate at dinner and be happy with that (thankfully). Before I'd have had the Mayonnaise and Ranch dressing out and been using them as dips. But doggone that pasta, it's yummy. I just make it heavy on the veggie sauce and light on the pasta. I'm going to try portioning out the sweets if I have them or give into buying them. One or two cookies in a snack size bag. I think I could be happy after one cookie if that's all I had at hand. I need to pick up some OT and get one of these bodybugg (or similar) things. Of course that means I have to start moving around again! Bman, hope you feel better soon!!!! You guys are fantastic!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f112/ticker-instructions-help-47581/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f112/how-create-ticker-add-your-signature-47643/

Why? Here's an explanation I copied from another WLS support site. It's really good info: Vagus Nerve: The Vagus nerve is the longest of the nerves. Its name is derived from the same root word as "Vagrant," and "Vagabond." (A wanderer; a rover. - Wandering from place to place and lacking any means of support.) From the Middle English vagraunt, probably alteration of Old French wacrant, present participle of wacrer, to wander, of Germanic origin. This "Vagabond" originates in the Cranium but wanders from the brain stem through organs in the neck, thorax and abdomen, all the way to the first third of the colon. It has motor functions in the larynx (voice box), diaphragm, stomach, and heart, and sensory functions in the ears and tongue. It has both motor and sensory functions in the pharynx (sinuses) and esophagus. Stimulation of the vagus nerve is thought to affect some of its connections to areas in the brain that are prone to seizure activity. It is a "Hot Topic" for research in areas of Depression, Obesity, Epilepsy, and is responsible for some phenomenal sensory and motor responses even without WLS. Emotions running high? Feeling a lump at the back of your throat that you didn’t put there? That’s the Vagus Nerve at work. Can’t tickle yourself, except the roof of your mouth? (try it) Because when you try to tickle your armpit-The same nerves that perceive the tickle also "know that it’s coming," and thus the "surprise" aspect that allows "tickling" to occur have been preempted. But- Roof of the mouth? Different selective dumping of info prior to reaching the brain. That’s the Vagus nerve "sharing" some info with sensory and motor controls while "not telling others." The Vagus nerve is known as a "mixed nerve" meaning it both receives input from the body and sends signals to various muscles and organs of the body. It is the primary nerve of the Parasympathetic Nervous System. It isn’t an even mix, though, about 80% of the axons inside the vagus nerve are sending signals from the body to the brain. The Vagus nerve consists of Five Components with distinct functions: --Brancial motor: (special visceral efferent) Supplies the voluntary muscles of the pharynx and most of the larynx, as well as one extrinsic muscle of the tongue. --Visceral motor: (general visceral efferent) Parasympathetic innervation of the smooth muscle and glands of the pharynx, larynx, and viscera of the thorax and abdomen. --Visceral sensory: (general visceral afferent) Provides visceral sensory information from the larynx, esophagus, trachea, and abdominal and thoracic viscera, as well as the stretch receptors of the aortic arch and chemoreceptors of the aortic bodies . --General sensory: (general somatic afferent) Provides general sensory information from the skin of the back of the ear and external auditory meatus, parts of the external surface of the tympanic membrane, and the pharynx. --Special sensory: (special afferent) A very minor component. Provides taste sensation from the epiglottis region. A simplified explanation to describe "how it works"- Rather than sending signals out from brain, or bringing sensory info back to the brain, it does both, and it allows "pieces parts" or "stations" along the way to communicate with each other without directly routing through the brain. It controls much of the movement of the mouth and let’s the esophagus "synch up" with back of tongue motions in order to make swallowing possible. And signals the lower organs of the digestive tract to adjust activity when "food is on the way!" The Vagus nerve also sends signals to and for those "unconscious" or reflex reactions- such as swallowing when not thinking about it consciously. Often the example given is- "swallowing while sleeping so you don’t drown in saliva." It is associated with Nausea governing factors, Relaxation, (particularly pulse rate) digestion synchronization, etc.. It’s "Fence-sitting" behavior as both Voluntary and Involuntary signal provider, makes it a key factor in most Bio-Feedback processes for reducing stress levels. How does this effect or associate with Bariatric Post-Op patients? Signals from the Stomach are "distorted somewhat" and often Disrupted or damaged by the Gastric Bypass. The signals from the pouch often trigger the Vagus nerve to "fire" unique reflex responses. The Vagus nerve transmits the signal to the brain when we are full. It seems to "drop off" some info to other stations on the way to the brain. It is responsible for Diaphragmatic "Dry Heaves" that some experience in the early days following Bariatric Procedures, and longer term is often associated with rapid gastric emptying. Many Post-ops claim to have their nose start running when they take "that last bite" just before feeling too full. Some experience sneezing or hiccups if they eat a bite too much. Both are actions inextricably bound to Vagus nerve signals. Many claim to get a "runny nose" with one bite too much food for their pouch, and hiccups from eating too fast. Many Gastric Bypass Post-ops have similar odd signals associated with the connections that the Vagus nerve makes along it’s wandering path. Complements of DxE...he originally posted this on March 5th, 2007 & I found this very helpful. He is a wealth of information.

For some people that is their "soft stop" sign that they are full. It is very common.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f112/ticker-instructions-help-47581/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f112/how-create-ticker-add-your-signature-47643/

Alex, the smilies codes aren't working. I tried :smile: :welcomeB: :bounce: et cetera. Whazzup??

Hello and :welcomeB: to LBT!!! I'm in the States so I can't help too much, but if you haven't found it yet, there is an entire subforum dedicated to the UK. UK Local Lap-Band Support - Lap Band Talk Forum - The largest forum for Lap Band Surgery Discussion and Lap Band Surgery Support There are quite a few posts there about the NHS. Good luck!

I wonder if I will lose friends (don't have many to begin with, though :smile: ) as I lose weight. I chose not to tell many people because I do not want the food police or people constantly asking how I am doing, etc. I just saw a friend (last night) who had moved away (back to her home state) for a year and now she's back in my area on an assignment. She doesn't know I've had the band, she didn't know I had lost weight prior to the band, either. We didn't exchange any pictures in that year. She's a plus-size woman as well. Probably a 20 or a 22. I have lost about 65 lbs and a couple of sizes since she last laid eyes on me. I don't see my own weight loss, but everyone around me (and they don't know about the surgery) comments on it. She hasn't said a word. Now I am sort of mildly sad that a) she hasn't said anything-though I don't need validation, it still is nice to hear, and b)maybe I haven't lost as much as I thought, or maybe it isn't as noticeable as everyone says. She does look like she's gained at least 20 lbs since she left, I wonder if that's got something to do with it.

As long as they are fully healed shut, there is benadryl cream available. I found simple cocoa butter with vitamin E worked best for me, though. But if you purchase CCB, make sure it is either the number one or number two ingredient in the ingredient list.

Ooooo, good luck!!!!! Congrats on the surgery! I'm partial to fuller breasts, so I'd say a D, but then again, it really should go with your frame.

Julie, I just read about your seromas-Eeeeep! And OUCH! Amazing, you are simply amazing. Going this distance, traveling this journey, and now draining your own seromas? You are wonder woman! But please call for the visiting nurse service, it might alleviate at least some of the emotional component that *has* to go along with draining your own seromas. Let someone else take care of you for a change, at least a couple days a week. Hopefully you are feeling better today! If not, take another day to relax, you certainly deserve it.

I have found the EAS and atkins at Walmart. I do not like them nearly as much as the Carb Control Slimfast. The EAS/Atkins are very very thin and liquidy, the Slimfast Low Carb is thick and rich. That satisfies me much more than thin and runny. Also the flavor isn't as good as the Slimfast. But not everyone likes the same things.

Step, I have heard it, but I VERY much appreciate you writing it again. I slime or get stuck on turkey breast or chicken or roast beef. Grrrrr! Healthy, protein-filled foods, but dry. So I guess as you said, bad band choices! In a sandwich I can eat them fine, or with mayo on them. But bare and naked (the way I like them), they are hard to swallow. I try to avoid much bread, it gets stuck, too. As does too much rice (and I LOVE sushi, so I'll pick most of the rice off it-not a shashimi fan yet). pizza and Pasta go down just fine, LOL. But I think I may have had four slices of pizza in the past year (total). I don't eat regular pasta anymore, I only eat the Barilla Plus Protein pasta (occasionally) or spaghetti squash instead of pasta. Who knew with a tomato sauce on it, it would be so good? Lately I've been challenged with a string desire for sweets. You would think that having gotten to 371 lbs I would have loved sweets? Nope, not really, but now I do. I want chocolate (never a big fan before), Oreos, cake, etc. My monthly support group is full of folks in the past few weeks that are going through the same thing (June 07). Did you experience anything like this about 6 mos out? Did anyone else here experience an increase in cravings for sweets/bad carbs at about five to seven months out? Steph, I thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful (and thought-provoking) response. It does help! I'm going to try to start Water loading as well. If I'm hungry, I'll go for a bottle of water (or a cup of tea). I have gotten away from water too much. I am lucky if I get 32 oz in within a 24hr period.

I think Alex closed a lot of those longer threads and then just opened new ones when he reorganized things. The longer threads with thousand(s) of posts bog the system down each time they are opened. I like that there are now subforums for all those sticky's and the hot-button threads that hadn't become sticky's yet (Low BMI for example), but I do wish they weren't hidden from view. Even if they were closed, they should still be easily accessible.

Though when you go to the forum, it's not there. I've found this with a lot of the archived info. You can search for it if you know the title or you are searching for a specific term, but it's not visible on the board. I'd love to have a link to the archives, versus always having to search for things.

It says it's in the weight specific forum, but just closed. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f139/thread-super-sized-bandsters-starting-bmi-over-50-a-16168/

Congrats to those who have made it to Twoterville! I had once, but couldn't seem to get below 296! Now I'm back at 304.1 :smile: :clap: I was at 308, so I'm glad to be back at 304... I gotta do SOMETHING!

Go to this forum: Weight Specific Lap-Band Support Groups (NEW!) - Lap Band Talk Forum - The largest forum for Lap Band Surgery Discussion and Lap Band Surgery Support There you will find the threads about specific BMI's and starting weights (that we previously had peppered all over this board) now concisely grouped together, it's wonderful!

One more thing, do not think what your surgeon's office says is gospel. Some folks will say, "They know what the insurance requires, they deal with them all the time." But there are MANY insurance policies out there and though you and I may have the exact same ins company, our policies may be totally different because we work at different employers. The safest and BEST thing to do is grab your ins card and call your company yourself. Ask what the requirements are for adjustable gastric banding, then write it down along with who you talked to and ask for a copy via email or snail mail or fax. In the meantime, get cracking and go see your doc. I'm amazed at the poster above whose insurance allowed something from 10 years ago, mine had to be within the past two.

My insurance company required 12 months and it didn't really seem all that long looking back. In that 12 mos I had another health issue and gained some weight, so at the end, I was denied because I hadn't lost the 5% of my excess that was required. I buckled down for a month and lost it, then was approved the next month. NO, the will likely NOT accept anything YOU tracked yourself. SOME will accept weights from WW or Curves, etc. But more often than not they will only accept MD supervised programs if that's what they are telling you. Now had you been doing LA weight loss or Medical Weight Loss that might work, those are MD based programs. One note about the monthly weigh-in thing. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT miss one single, solitary month. You may have to start over again. And make sure you talk with your MD, not an office nurse or a medical assistant each time. My insurance required me to see the MD each month, have a weight recorded AND the notes HAD to say something that I was actively doing to lose weight every time I saw her. For me it could be as simple as the notes saying I was walking 30 mins five times a week, or that I had cut refined carbs from my diet, or that I was running the stairs at work three times a week, etc. But that all HAD to be in the notes. MY ins co did NOT accept a letter from the MD detailing it all, they ONLY accepted actual copies of the monthly notes. Good luck!

A quick snippet about my loss journey, I started researching the band years ago, had to change ins co's a couple of times to find one that paid for it, then that one required a 12 month MD supervised diet with a 5% loss. By the time my 12 months was up, I had had some success with weight loss, but sadly in the beginning I had another health issue that caused me to gain. At the end of the 12 mos, if I remember correctly, I was up about 7lbs from my starting weight. I had needed to lose 9 lbs, so I was 16 lbs over what I was supposed to be. I was of course denied the first time around, cried and whined and felt very depressed, then I buckled down and made it the next month. By the time I had surgery in June of 2007, I had lost 44lbs from my high weight. In the process I started practicing the "Bandster" rules, Protein first, not drinking with meals or after, cut almost all white, refined carbs from my diet, no soda or caffeine, yada, yada. I had good restriction from the band itself (AP Small) and probably still do (I will PB or get stuck with sliced turkey breast or roast beef, if I don't chew well enough, things pass verrrry slowly through the stoma and I slime). The first couple of months were fine. I felt (and still feel) soft stops and get what is probably a "satisfied" feeling after anywhere from 1/2-1 cup of food. But I can't stop. Food tastes SOOOOOOOOOOO good. I came to associate the "stuffed full" feeling pre-banding with what full is supposed to feel like. How do I get past this? I have bounced in the same ten pounds since late August. I feel like I gave up. I stopped logging my food (have started again last week), quit drinking all my Water (bought three cases of bottled this week to get that going again), and started snacking all the time, PLUS meals. I'm trying the five or six small meals thing now, maybe I just want to eat more often, but I need to cut out the big meals, too. I have had NO fill since surgery. With soft stops and slime and occasional PB's, I have felt that I don't need one. Though there is the whole issue of no weight loss. Though I really think that's WHAT I'm eating, versus how MUCH I'm eating. My pre-op loss included Snacks and meals, but it was good snacks and good meals... If I lost really well pre-op (almost effortless, actually), then why on earth can I not seem to do it post op? Why if I now get a "satisfied" feeing sooner will I continue to eat and sabotage myself but before surgery I'd stop eating? So, I finally admitted I need some help with this whole band thing and scheduled a fill. I don't really want one. And that I don't understand, either. I fought and fought for this band, now I can't get my head around *using* it???? WTH???? Then I think that since I do feel stops and I do feel "satisfied," do I really need a fill? How do I do the head work to stop eating when I feel "satisfied" and learn that "stuffed" is not what I am aiming for? Stuffed is not how thin people eat. Well, I had scheduled a fill, but had to cancel, dang it! My FIL has to have his pacer/defib tested that same day, three hours away. DANG! I had finally wrapped my head around it in a mild little way, figured I'd start with one fill and see if it helped....ARRRGGHH! I go to the same place Boo Boo Kitty goes. It's about the same drive for me, too (a little over an hour) and I work nights, 12 hour shifts. Scheduling a fill is tough. Let me take that back...scheduling a fill with just anyone there is easy, but BBK has given me the scoop and the only woman I think I'd allow to touch me with a needle (HUGE phobia) has limited availability. EEEEEEEeeeeppp!!!! So, I need help. I will try again to schedule with her, but it's looking about a month away. Can anyone give me some ideas to help me get over this whole head thing? Anyone read any good books about overcoming the need to eat to stuffed versus satisfied? Any good stories out there? Since I've been logging the food again and trying to get back to basics, I've gotten the scale to move by two pounds. It's a start!

Is it time for Claudia to be in Chi-town?

Thanks for the welcomes!

Hello ladies, since this is a newly started thread/subforum, I'd like to really join in with you if I may. I know you are a tight knit group, and I think that's just WONDERFUL! I have gotten so much inspiration form each and every one of you by reading the previous thread. I'm trying to get back on track and would love not only to chat with a great bunch of people, but get some support from all of you have (and are still) steadily losing/maintaining.