faithmd

Once upon a time the IUD was not the first choice of birth control for nulliparous (never having been pregnant) women because of the increased risk for PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) and uterine expulsion. However, recent studies (late 2005, I think?) have shown that the risk for uterine expulsion is along the line of 10% higher in nulliparous women than parous women. Not significantly higher in my book. Also of note, the IUD itself does not increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to infertility; rather, pre-existing STDs increase the risk of infection. Either bring this up to her (there's got to be a paper inline somewhere with the percentages in it) or find another gyn who will place it. I believe Planned Parenthood will do it in nulliparous women. Some women do experience increased cramping during their menstrual period with the IUD, and there is the consideration that you do have to do the occasional "feel" to make sure the tail is still there. I did have one friend who was into ummmmm "playful" activities with toys and such and she did claim to have dislodged it during a rather rambunctuous session that involved fisting.

Yes you can, we all can do this!!!!! I've written something like this before on other threads. If we were pregnant and our OB were to tell us that we could cause damage to our fetus unless we stayed ona strict liquid diet for four weeks, you'd better believe we'd have no problem staying on that diet. In fact most of us would probably stay on the liquid diet for even longer, just to be safe. Why don't we care as much about ourselves????? Why on earth are we "cheating" and risking our bands? Just because something goes down okay doesn't mean it isn't setting us up for damage later. The sutures are helping scar tissue form around the band and that's what holds it in place on our stomachs. The sutures only help hold it on the front, scar tissue is all that holds it on the back of the stomach. Everytime we eat something more than a liquid, (and no, chewing something until it's liquid does not count) it causes our stomachs to churn to digest that food. That churning stops the scar tissue from forming, or helps break new scar tissue just barely formed. I understand that some doctors move folks along faster in their diet programs, that's okay if it's what your doctor says to do, but Allergan (the manufacturer of the band) advises a very slow progression. Damage we do now freshly banded may not show up until a year or two down the line. Maybe we have a bad episode of vomiting and because we just couldn't wait to chew, we didn't get good adhesion of scar tissue early on, it may slip. Really think about it, folks. If it were to prtect an unborn life, we'd do anything. This band is the key to our new lives.

I think that's what I'm gonna miss most, sushi. I LOVE LOVE LOVE sushi. Well, California rolls, actually. I used to be able to eat two or three rolls. I really enjoyed going to a bar with friends and us all getting a couple different rolls and sharing pieces of them. Some night I'd have 10 or 12 different pieces of sushi. The symphony of flavors was amazing. I know that's what I'm going to mourn most.

Ummmmm mattintosh, I was hesitant to say anything like wasaBB did in another thread, until now... Apparently you work for the clearing house that's attached to this getbandednow.com, don't you? I say that because this thread that you have posted to, and whose post you quoted is from 2005!

I hope that I can feel good like that at a buffet. I cannot imagine going to one yet, I have only been banded about 11 days and certainly it is a bit too early to consider, but buffets are one thing my DH and I used to LOVE to go to. We didn't just go to Ponderosa (though that is a good restaurant), but we would go to a casino not too far from a house we have in Northern Michigan on Monday nights for the casino's seafood buffet. There is also a wonderful chinese/japanese place not too far from home that has an amazing sushi bar included in the buffet price. We always went for the variety available at a good price. BUT, of course we would still eat more than we should! Now, I am truly mourning not being able to go to a buffet. I cannot imagine spending $20 for a seafood buffet and eating maybe 1 cup of food. I hope I soon get to the point where I am like you and can just secretly smile because others are gorging and I am satisfied on a small amount. I think part of my sadness is because I am in "Bandster Hell," and part is because I won't be able to eat 16 different pieces of sushi anymore...I LOVE VARIETY... :eek:

Disneyfan, many insurances have qualifications and requirements. I qualified with my insurance with a BMI in the 50's, but I still had to meet their requirements which were 5 years of being 100+ lbs overweight, 12 month MD supervised weight loss program, and monthly visits during that time, miss a month, start all over again... I was also required to lose 5% of my excess weight.

Every employer's policy can be different, some will pay the rider for weight loss surgery, some will not and your plan might have an exclusion. It is impossible for one of us to know. As soon as they may be open in the morning, I want you to go and get your insurance card, then call your insurance company. Tell them you want to have adjustable gastric banding done and ask if they have a special procedures case manager who takes care of the bariatric cases that you can speak with. If not, then speak to whoever can help you figure out if they cover it and if so, what the requirements are. Have a pen and a pad of paper handy, write down the name of every person you speak to and note the date and time. Make notes of what they say. Most big companies have case managers that deal exclusively with special procedures like this. If not, then with the codes below, you should be able to get somewhere with the rep you talk to. The codes to ask if they are covered are: laparoscopic surgical adjustable band:Procedure code 43770; diagnosis code 278.01 Once you have found out from them if they cover it and what the requirements are, ask them to snail mail (and email if they can) you a copy of those requirements.

I haven't been kissed like that since (I can put a date on it) February 1999. He reeled me in, said the big "L" word and then the knock my socks off stuff ended...and I still married him! Damn that love and companionship...

I sat down with DH for the first meal we actually sat at a table at together for since I've been banded. I made him fat free hot dogs on the grill and tater tots. He had some potato salad and some greek pasta salad we got at the grocery store, I also had some minced onion, cheese and chili for the dogs. I had take a small can of baked beans, some tomato juice a little catsup and peeled a fat free dog and dropped it all in the blender, then added some onion and made soup with it. I also took some seeded cucumber sliced thin and soaked in a little cider vinegar and drained, I added some lowfat sour cream and milk and blended it and made a soup. I had about a half cup of the beans and hot dog soup and a half cup of the cucumber soup and I was done. DH was surrounded with food and I was thinking that three weeks ago, that was me, too. WOW!

How about the maple syrup, lemon juice and cayenne pepper in hot water diet? Ewwwww!

Quote: Originally Posted by Boo Boo Kitty Hello all. I was invited to this thread by Faith. I see the topic of the time is waxing. I am not brave enough for anyone to see me down there...rotfl.... Sorry Brandy, we sort of got off topic while discussing shaving and someone's hubby returning after a one month absence. My hubby was gone for six months a couple of years ago, during that time I lost 47 lbs. Didn't make a doggone bit of difference. I like your use of the word disconnected. I think that's exactly my DH's issues, he's disconnected. He is nice, he's not mean at all, but he is not in the least bit snuggly, I have to kiss him, I have to reach over and touch him. I have mentioned over and over how I really love to be touched, have my hand held, etc. To no avail. He apologizes he doesn't realize, but that's just the way he is. When I was waiting to be taken to pre-op I had to sit in the chair next to him and grab his hand. I mean, sheesh! His parents are very affectionate to one another, they hug and kiss and hold hands, they hug the grandkids. I thought maybe it was because he wasn't hugged as a child, but it appears he likely was. He was always very affectionate towards his son, too. In the past few years he has developed a progressive memory loss disorder that we have seen six or eight different neurologists for and as time has gone on, I noticed him getting less and less affectionate. I honestly think it could be because he actually forgot what intimacy is. I want to be angry at him for this, but if it's not his fault, how can I be? When we were first dating he was AMAZING. What garnered him a second date was the kiss at the end of the first one. It was a soap opera kiss, you know the kind where the guy leans in verrrrry slowly, reaches out and strokes the cheek of the woman while gazing into her eyes, then gently kisses her. As he is kissing her, he lifts both hands and cradles her face in them and then draws her in as the kiss intensifies... And they saw women use their wiles to trap a man...I say he threw me a line a reeled me right in.

Did you get a date yet? I clicked on the thread thinking it would be about a doc who stopped seeing patients or closed up practice while someone was waiting to be banded. But I see it's about having patience. My bad...

I have the AP small. Initially I had no hunger issues, now I am feeling hungry, but think it might be partially head hunger I'm fighting. I do get some grumbles of hunger, though. Last night I started feeling something new that is still there, a full/lump feeling just below the back of my throat. I've tried drinking something cold, I tried drinking somthing warm. The warm does seem to loosen the lump feeling a bit. But the feeling is really high, like just below my Adam's apple. Interesting... I've had no PB's, no sliming and I am still on a liquid diet.

According to the materials I got from my Nut, protein breaks down after it's mixed. So do not mix it ahead of time.

Sick, huh???

You can get papaya enzyme tablets that you chew at the health food store, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's places like that. pineapple juice is said to work as well. I bought a multi pack of the little 6oz cans. As far as meat tenderizer goes, this is from Sunshine 2's doctors brochure: If it has not pass after a few minutes, use the following to help: Mix 1/2 teaspoon of meat tenderizer, 1 oz Water, and 1 tsp lemon juice, mix well and sip.

Wow, bigshow, you've had great loss already, congrats! WasaBB, I'm kind of glad to hear you got unfilled, I know you were having such problems. Good to hear the unfill seems to have helped.

Hello Brandy, is he having issues because of everything else that's gone on (your other health scare)? Or was he already behaving this way before? Come join us in the Intimacy thread, you're not alone: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f15/intimacy-36013/

First thing Monday morning please call the nutritionist at your surgeon's office and ask for a more clarified menu.

Here's a sample schedule my surgeon's nutritionist gave me for the first two weeks (Clear liquids with Protein supplements) but you should ALWAYS follow your surgeon's advice about diet! Breakfast at 0800 Protein shake (240-330ml) Snack at 1000 sugar free non-carbonated, non-caffeinated beverage (240ml) and either 1 high protein Gelatin or other 240ml Protein Drink supplement. lunch at 1200 Protein Shake (240-330ml) Snack at 3 or 4pm high protein clear drink (240ml) or high protein clear Soup (240ml) AND 240ml non-caffeinated, non-carbonated, sugar-free drink dinner at 6pm Protein Shake (240-330ml) Snack at 8 or 9 pm 1 high protein gelatin or other high protein clear drink.

Oh my, with that little in, I'd be hungry too! You should definitely be sipping slowly, but rember you are still supposed to be getting in a minimum of 64 oz of water a day on top of whatever diet you are on. What stage does your surgeon say you should be at?

Many folks here (I think one poll I saw a while back put it at well over 50%) went to Mexico. Many surgeons there are have been doing it longer than surgeons in the US and some proctored US surgeons back when the FDA approved it for use here in June 2001. There is no way I'd pay $25K for the surgery out of pocket. You'd be better off going to Toronto to TLBC for $16K CAN. There is a doc in Denver (lapbandrockies.com) who does it for less than $12K I believe. There is a thread here dedicated to him (Kirschenbaum), you'll find lots of info in the Doctors and Hospitals forum and in the various state or country forums. Here's a few links to some threads about going to Mexico: How to check on Doctors in Mexico? Did anyone get there lap band done in mexico? Mexico Banders? In any case, if you choose to go out of your area you MUST set up after care locally FIRST. Many surgeons will not touch another surgeon's band. It doesn't matter if they were banded in Mexico, the US, or Belgium. There is a company called Fill Centers USA that is rapidly expanding across the US that will provide fills and aftercare. What is the trial for? It's been approved in the US since June 2001. The surgeon I chose has actually done less than 100 bands but I researched him well and asked him some pointed questions about his stats ans surgical technique and was completely comfortable with his answers. Inamed (makers of the US approved band) consider anyone who has done 100 bands to be an "expert" and eligible to proctor other surgeons in how to place the band. So 250 is a good number. I wish you luck in your decision, in Mexico I wouldn't hesitate to see Aceves, Ortiz or Rumbaut. There are others that are also good, I'm sure. But those are the guys that seem the most respected. No way I'd ever consider Betencourt, though.<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

I know many are fond of the Magic Bullet, but I am just not impressed with it's power (or lack of) compared to other blenders out there. Plus it's pretty expensive at $50, the cheapest I've seen it was at Kohl's at Xmas and that was a four hour day after Thanksgiving sale price for $36. The Magic Bullet has *only* 225W of power. There is a personal sized blender at Walmart that you can get online that is 350W and is only $18ish, here's the link: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3609512 I can't find it in the stores, but I did find it online at Walmart and at Brylanehome.com, it's more expensive at brylane, but if you are negative on shopping at Wallyworld (I understand some folks are), here's the brylane link: http://www.brylanehome.com/product.a...ducttypeid= 1 I just ended up buying a new blender (I needed one anyway) from Walmart, it's an Oster that came with a food processer attachment and a free personal size mix mug (not all the boxes had that, but they do sell those for about $13 or so) and it was $40. It has 450 watts. I do really like it. This is it: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5366505 Here's the link to the personal mixer cup: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5811496 But did you know that if you have a blender that has the screw-off base with the removable blades (screw the base off the jar and take the blade assembly and a gasket ring out for cleaning) that that ring actually fits on canning jars? Talk about nice and small, you could use half pint or pint size jars and not have to worry about buying another blender/mixer at all. I have a bunch of those old glass canning jars with the handle on them they used to sell in the dollar stores, those work great. Just wanted to save us all some dough <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Charlotte, try this thread, there's a few interesting responses there: Need helpful answers from experienced bandsters 16-18lbs in about 12-14 weeks is good, it's what I will expect once I get out of the immediate post-op period. I was told 1-2lbs per week, and that's where you are. We didn't do bypass. Our loss will be slower. True some people lose 20 lbs a month, I lost 3lbs in the month of April following a rather structured diet. We are all different. It is sooooo hard not to compare ourselves to someone else, especially when that other person is losing leaps and bounds above us. I keep reminding myself weight loss is a journey, not an event. Are you logging what you are eating on a site like fitday.com or mydailyplate.com or sparkpeople.com? I found it helps to see what I'm taking in. I log all food AND all liquids, lots of calories can be hidden in things like teas and juices. Are you sticking to one calorie level (like 1000 per day)? Many folks find that sticking to a strict amount of calories actually hurts weight loss as the body come to expect that caloric intake, try mixing it up, one day 800, another 1200, another 1000, it all averages out. Are you drinking with meals? I've read some folks say they had to stop drinking for up to 90 mins after to achieve the desired full feeling. From what I've read warm liquids can also ease restriction. So possibly drinking something warm prior to a meal can "open things up" a bit and go against the restricted feeling you desire. I have read over and over again that many bandsters will have different feelings of restriction on different days, depending on stress, Fluid retention, time of the month, etc. Some folks can eat more in the morning, some can eat more in the evening. From what I've gathered, restriction is constantly changing, pre-band there were times you were more hungry than others. Sometimes you could eat a sandwich and be happy, other times you could pig out at a buffet and still want to stop on the way home for ice cream. Why would that be any different now? Well, I guess I would hope that now I couldn't go pig out at the buffet. But perhaps I would be hungrier and able to eat more at one time than at another. I am by no means an expert, I was only recently banded, but I have read here and other boards for a long time and have tried to retain a lot of the good tips that I see repeated over and over again by what I would call successful bandsters. I hope others respond as well.

See, that's exactly it. I don't get AT ALL why the nuts and docs all think that for some reason this miracle band is going to make us all eat sugar free, low fat, low calorie, high protein, etc...If we could eat sugar free, low fat, low cal, make the best choices, then we wouldn't be fat! I don't get why a doc would band someone, then put them on Atkins, either. But I guess every doc is different. I know I need to make better food choices, and I've been committed to that since late January. Can I keep it up? I don't know, I'm going to try. Though the diet from the surgeon actually goes against everything I've done to be successful with the nearly 50lbs I lost pre-band. I will give them that it is only the post op diet, and hopefully once I'm healed I can go back to what I was doing, but still. Granted I made a committment when I had surgery and one would think that going so far as to have surgery would help keep one on the straight and narrow in terms of food choices, but we are all human. One of the biggest reasons I chose the band over bypass (other than not having to have feet of bowel removed) was that I am a food snob, I love good food. I wanted to be able to still eat good food (which often does have fat and sugar in it), but in much smaller quantities. I wanted a 4 ounce filet mignon to fill me up instead of a 12 ounce. I wanted to have a few bites of a creme brulee and be satisfied instead of two full ramekins barely scratching the surface. I feel like I'm going to have to keep two food diaries, one for the nut, one for real.