faithmd

I hear ya maziemommy, I'll just have to settle for living vicariously though these lovely ladies and gentlemen.

Us Michiganders are for the most part pretty darned happy to see him released before he died in prison. In the Netherlands he'd be revered, no, strike that, he'd be normal. That's what they do there. Death with dignity.

Annie, if you are in the US, about 50 (maybe a couple more) surgeons (not 10) were given the Advanced Platform (AP) band in an early release so that Inamed could see what they'd need to set up in advance of the general release scheduled at the ASBS conference June 11th-16th in San Diego. There is some differences for the surgeons in placing this new band, nothing bad, just different. They also need larger instruments to place the band with. So Inamed gave out some bands early to some surgeons to sort of work out the kinks. The AP band itself has no kinks, perse, it has been being placed in Australia and Canada for some time now, it was just how to best teach the docs in the US to do it.

That is really good to know, thank you! Some of my favorites now that I know will be a challenge post-band are Sushi (NOT Sashimi, I love the vinegared sticky rice), but not raw, I like the vegetarian and the crab rolls, salads galore, nuts, chicken, steak, falafel. But I'm up to the challenge!

Tammy, the search feature here will point you to even more threads about December bandsters, just use advanced search and search for thread titles with the word December in them. Here's a few specifically geared to December 2006 bandsters. Hope this helps! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/december-bandsters-25506/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/december-bandsters-april-32496/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/december-bandsters-january-28482/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/december-bandsters-february-29029/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/december-bandsters-march-30612/

Do a search for thread titles (advanced search) with Spivak in them. There are many threads around here about him! Welcome!

Linda, I hear ya! It's very hard! I've lost 44 so far and it hasn't been fast, I've been trying since late January. I had to be 335 to be approved, so I figure everything I lose on top of that is my jumpstart.

It is not about being "crazy" or the insurance company trying to get out of it! It is because lets face it, we've had an unhealthy relationship with food and that's why we're fat. It is to evaluate to see if you: 1) Have realistic expectations of what will happen after OR 2) Realize that this is only a TOOL and we will have to WORK to lose weight. 3) See if we are really ready to commit to the significant changes we will have to make in our lives. 4) Evaluate if we have significant addictive issues that will need to be addressed as we lose weight.

Quote: Originally Posted by nursekathy2u Surprising to me that a physician would be willing to falsify medical records. Its against the law.... Especially knowing it may be turned in to insurance company... Not very smart. I'm not quite sure why you care? Isn't it just wonderful that the poster *did* get approved and is going to be able to have this fantastic tool! And I don't see how it is insurance fraud if a) nothing was ever submitted that was created and the poster DID have weight problems for YEARS, there just wasn't the dotted "i" and the crossed "t" the insurance company makes you have in order to try to deny you. After receiving what my insurace company required, my physician and I went back through my records (I *did* go monthly, and we *did* discuss my weight every month, but sometimes it didn't get written) and added things to each month's note like "patient is eating more veggies" or "patient is walking 30 mins a day." I do not consider that fraud, it is adding late entries to records.

You are VERY wise to plan ahead. You are also VERY fortunate to have in Ohio the wonderful Dr. Trace Curry who fills MX bands, his website is Trace W. Curry, M.D. Lap Band Surgeon :: Home

It just sort of seems to me that if the doc when s/he was placing it looked at it and said, "Maybe this is too small," then placed it anyway, *they* should eat all of the costs. It was his/her error in judgement, not your fault as the patient.

Good job, Molly! I'm sure that was a lot of hard work! I'm glad to hear you're back where you need to be with your restriction. I am really trying to lose pre-band for just the reasons mentioned, I hope it will make it easier to adjust to eating post-band. I've been trying to use baby utensils, taking small bites, eating protein first, not drinking with meals (the second hardest thing) and chewing, chewing, chewing (the very hardest thing to do, I can't stand the mushy warm texture of food when it is chewed to a pulp). I also figure if I don't stick to the pre-op diet 100% (which is intended to not only shrink your liver, but to jump-start your weight loss), I've had a great loss and my liver should be shrunk some already. I just want the scale to move again. I'm hoping that with the warmer weather and working outside more, that it will. And hey, for the past month I did *lose* three pounds, not gain, right?

What Randy said. Derick, it's gotta be frustrating as hell. I wish you the best of luck!

It is released to the US in general release after the ASBS conference June 11th-16th. So it is quite possbile if your doctor didn't get early release bands, that s/he will have the AP by the 18th. I cancelled my surgery for tomorrow (May 31st) because even though I did the legwork for my surgeon's office to get an eraly relelase band, they didn't feel comfortable placing one until after the conference. So I've rescheduled for June 20th. And if they don't have it by then, I'll reschedule (but be really ticked) for when they can get one. I'm excited to hear your thoughts on the differences, Liz. There are lots of folks here who have the AP but hadn't been banded with the others. It is interesting to hear from someone who has had both. Please keep us updated!

Wow! What a FANTASTIC loss! I agree the fills and unfills must be really stressful, but you are losing VERY well!

Dagnabit, I still sit at 327. I visited my PCP today and I've only lost three pounds total this past month. GRRRRRR!!!!!! I can't wait to get banded next month, hopefully it will help.

Remember, you can have the band and if you arent' satisfied after a year of really working with it, you can always reconsider and have the bypass or the Gastric sleeve. Once you've had the bypass, you can never have it completely reversed. It may be right for you, but I know it's not right for me. I didn't gain 200lbs overnight, and I'm not going to lose it overnight.

I guess some surgeons do fill a couple cc's in VG and large bands, but it sounds like Ernie has the 4cc band, so 2cc's does seem crazy full to me. Lots of men require the large band, their stomach walls are thicker (on average) than women. Ernie, I hope that you won't have to pay anything out of pocket for this second band. It was your surgeon's choice to put the smaller band in.

Ask your surgeon at the seminar, every surgeon is different. Mine says two years, others say 18 months. Certainly women have oopsies all the time, but I would think to be as safe as possible and let the band get seated well, you'd want to wait about 6 months at least. My surgeon actually makes you sign something saying you know that you aren't suposed to get pregnant for two years. I think that's to cover them in case you do and then you slip or have other issues.

LOL! I just realized that TMP could easily work for both... Too Much Pussy/Poonanny or Too Much Penis/Pecker Sadly a problem I'm not familiar with lately. Maybe if I get some of this weight off...

See, I thought SLE was a rule-out as well, but Betsyjane on here said in another thread that her doc did some labswork to make sure she wasn't in the midst of a flare-up and when she wasn't, then he banded her. Things must be changing. But I agree with WasaBB, you do need to call your surgeon and let them know.

Apparently she started a new thread about it, here's the link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f78/back-surgery-my-band-35520/

See, she knew I was thinking about her!

WasaBubbleButt might be able to help you find some aftercare, I remember seeing her post a list of doctors in someone else's thread who was having problems finding aftercare. May I ask where you live? Did you move recently that you can't go to who you were? That is a consideration for me as well, I know that even though I am having the band done in the US that doesn't guarantee that I'll be able to find aftercare if I move or go on vacation. I know the practice I'll be seeing does not see any patients other than those they banded. I understand the concern for puncturing a band they didn't place, or the risks to them if something happens and the patient slips, then they get sued, even though it may have had nothing to do with them and everything to do with either the original surgeon, or the patient themself. But that doesn't make it easier on those of us who need follow-up.

Juli, sorry to hear of the loss suffered by you and your GF (and family). Stevee! Congrats on the new job and starting today!!! I LOVE this thread. I've been a hag for forever (since about 12) and lately I've been discovering my love of lesbians, too (that came out wrong, I should say I've got a lot of new dear friends who happen to be lesbians). I tried dating women in my past, but discovered that sadly I'm about as str8 as they come. I really enjoy the freeness (is that a word?) of what you all are discussing here. It's GREAT! Man, I miss those multiple O days...