MeredithMcFee

Thank you for clarifying that for me Angelstwo. I'm in the process of checking out insurance's as I lost my job and will lose my health ins within 2 weeks.

Just my luck! Oh well!

Angelstwo, thank you for your reply. I greatly appreciate that.

Wondering if anyone in NJ who is covered under Obamacare has had bariatric surgery such as the sleeve, lapband, etc?

Thank you all for your input here. I've decided to do a process of elimination by eliminating the flavored Water to see if per chance it's aggravating my esophagus and letting it calm down for now. I'll give it some time and see if there is any change. If not, I think it's time to say good-bye to the band.

Just wondering if anyone has any issues with drinking flavored Water and their band, reflux, etc. It's a shot in the dark, but the first 10 months after having my lapband, losing almost all my weight of 75 lbs, doing and feeling well. Hurricane Sandy hit our home, we moved to an apartment for almost a year and my total routine was upset. I started having problems with my band. Over the passed 2 years, I've had fills removed, refilled and removed again. Either way, I could go for weeks, even months doing ok and then out of no where, I couldn't keep food down, would have to start to throw it up. The only food I could eat was junk food. Recently, I've been having very bad indestion, heartburn although I take dexilant daily. a year ago in March, I had a barium swallow which showed the band in place with no problems. A few weeks ago, again, out of no where, I couldn't keep my food down, it got stuck and again, I had to dump the food out. Made an appt with my Dr who took out all the Fluid out of the band and planned on another barium swallow a week later. Even without any fluid, I had an awful time with eating and holding things down. I had the barium swallow showing the band is totally in place, as well as no hiatal hernia seen. This time around, the Dr noticed the liquid sitting in the esophagus for a little bit and then slowly drained down into my stomach. He didn't think much of it, although he suggested if it continued, I could have the band taken out or try the sleeve. Unfortunately, we've changed insurance companies since having the band and my employer doesn't cover bariatric surgery. Now, I've been trying to figure out what I've been doing or not doing that has effected this issue over time. I just realized that we've been drinking a fruit flavored enhanced bottled water the past few years. There's not much fruit in it but it does have some flavor. I've noticed when I drink this as opposed to drinking spring water, I do have a problem after swallowing the flavored water as it seems to sit in my esophagus before it takes time draining. SO, after all this, I'm wondering if anyone else has had problems after drinking fruit flavored water, and keeping food down.

Wondering if anyone else has had this problem. I had my lapband surgery 2 yrs ago Jan. Lost 60lbs of my 75 pound goal when Sandy hit the Jersey shore and our home. Up until then, I ate and drank right, and exercised 2-3 times a week. Never had an issue with my band, went for fills accordingly. After we were displaced for 10 mths, my mind and my routine went down the drain for the most part. Ate poorly, lack of Water,didn't exercise at all, and found I started having issues every few months with my band tightening up out of no where even when I was eating well. I would go back and get a little out, would do fine, and then weeks later again, back and forth. The doctor didn't seem to have an answer but my thoughts were due to stress and my body. We are back in our home for the last 7 mths and have been busy getting it up and running I still have yet to wrap my mind around getting back on the wagon with eating and exercising. {have gained back 20lbs and lots of inches}. I had a fill about a month ago {approx at 5cc's altogether} and have done fine until this week. Now, my thoughts are.... besides not eating the right foods at times, can the issue with my band partially be due to lack of working out, movements, etc as I have a sedendary job and am exhausted when I come home and basically couch it for the night. It sort of makes sense to me but wondering if anyone else has this problem.

I loved Ilene's post, her ups & downs with health issues, life issues and issues in general. I am her, but in NJ. I am back after a year of issue's and basically starting all over after losing 60lbs post lapband surgery 2 year's this month.ng Depending on the snowstorm we're supposed to be hit with sometime tomorrow afternoon the NE, I have an appt with my doctor for another fill after being filled,{for a good 2 mths eating everything in site} unfilled, filled and unfilled a good 4 times in 2013. Down to approx 2cc's in a 10 cc band. First year, no problems at all until we were hit with Sandy and all the stress that went along with it the last 14 months. My feeling, although no one seems to have an answer medically or wishes to answer the reason why all of a sudden this occurred, I think it's due to the unnormal stress going on in my internally. Finally back to normal with everyday normal stresses that I refer to as life, I am starting over, signing back on Bariatric Pal, getting reacquainted on new improved website, FitnessPal, recording my eating, thoughts and warming up my treadmill, getting my Leslie Sansone videos dusted off, No more excuses. I've come too far, bought smaller clothes I no longer can get into, feeling like I did before Lapband and 2 years older. I've put 20lbs out of the 60lbs I lost and if I keep on this track, I will regain it all and then some. I am not going to allow it. Once I get weighed in tomorrow night, get my fill, and start over, I will modify my signature here, learn all the bariatric terms and look in daily for support from all of you out there in the fight to be more healthy again. Thank you for all your support.

Hey Lady Bandito! I'm here but like you, I've been in a bad place with being displaced which I mentioned a week or so here. HOWEVER, spring is here, although in NJ, it's 52 today which is hot for us! Living in an apt while house is being raised etc. Finally got back on track this morning, set up MyFitness Pal, FitBit, on my new cell and back online here. Entered my food diary into them and hooked up my FitBit on and got the DVD going with Leslie Sansone. I did 3 hard miles with her and it felt realllll good. Amazingly, post lapband last year, while I worked out on my treadmill and elliptical, for the most part, I did her DVD's 3 times a week and really lost the girth/inches around my pear shaped KimKardasian butt! Since the storm I've put the inches back on there and everywhere but I'm back mentally & physcially. No way am I going to get back into a size 16 Lane Bryant Jeans. Well, ok, I have, but it's not going to be for long. LOL So, it's good to get logged onto all my equipment that helped me lose the initial 60lbs. and back here with my gals of Jan 2012 once again. Like everyone else, it takes a village to get back up on the saddle. Love you gals....

Hi Everyone! So sorry I haven't been on here for months now. Looks like I've missed out on alot here in many ways. Still struggling with the flood issues, not in the house, and after 5 mths of dealing with all the issues, I've temporarily lost my will in re: to the lapband. I've put on 20lbs since SANDY which is depressing me even more. One would never know that I am dealing with the stress of this disaster on the outside but when I come home at night, all I do is eat junk food and sit on the couch and watch TV and hang out on my laptop. Bored stiff! Spring is here, the monies are coming in from the insurance companies, contractors are in our house getting rid of the old and re-wiring electric, putting new ducts into the house for the heating and cooling and our house is being lifted 4 feet this week but still unlivable. I told the contractor the most important thing for me was to get the electric up and running so I can at least go over to the house and work out in my gym upstairs. LOL I am the kind of person who needs both, work out and eating to be in sync in oder for it to work properly. My poor FitBit sits there on the table waiting to be synced up again on a daily basis and do what it was meant to d . :-( Hoping within the next month, once the foundation is up, and the electric is on, I can at least get over there and start the process of getting back on track while the house is being worked on. The gyms around here basically want a year's contract and I don't want to sign up and pay for something that I won't be using for that long. My DH found a groupon coupon for me for a kick boxing class at Tiger Schulman's nearby for a month. I'm going over after work tomorrow and signing up for it. Can't wait to get my body, mind and soul back on track and back on LBT, FitPal and FitBit. I miss you all sooooo much.

Hello Everyone! Long time, no read, talk or anything for the most part on LBT for the last few months. Since being displaced by Sandy, my whole LBT routine has taken a back seat. We still have many months to go before we're able to move back into our home so it's time for me to step up to the plate and get back my mojo. No perfect day then today as it's my 1 yr Bandiversary! Kudo's to me. Since starting this journey last year, I have lost approx 50lbs, and many inches from working out and dealing with the ups and downs of our foreign body which isn't so foreign anymore. :-) Since Sandy, I've put on 12 lbs and getting that darn spread back again! Started back to work in Sept after being unemployed for 2 year, and now sitting at a desk for 8 hrs a day, finding no reason to wear my fitbit 24-7 like I did before taking on the job. Don't need to be reminded of the fact I'm not hitting my miles or burning calories like before the job. However, prior to Sandy, I was still working out at home and eating healthy. Sandy took that all away and more for my husband and me. I now come 'home' to our apt and deal with my emotions and lack of energy by eating all evening junk food. I know it's wrong but it's all my comfort foods I enjoyed and put me in this mess in the first place! The weather started to break here on the Jersey Shore the last two weekends, crisp, cold but sunny, I started walking on the boardwalk on the weekends. It was truly invigorating. I had my fill removed a good two months ago as it was causing me problems, which I'm sure out of no where was due to my internal stress with this whole change post Sandy. Never before did I have many issues. Finally, I got a small test fill 3 weeks ago which didn't amount to much however, it was a start. I went back this past Thurs and he gave me more this time. I can feel it once again working. So, no better time to find my mojo but on the eve of my 1 yr bandiversary. I promise to look in more often, try to catch up on what's been happening, and hoping I'm not the only one who fell from grace these past few months. You all have helped me through this process as I hope I've helped you from time to time. Wishing all of us Banders of 2012 a Happy and wonderful Bandiversary! Hugs, Meredith

Imattera, Welcome to the group. It is a great group. So much information here from other's who have had the surgry. I had Dr. Strom perform my surgery almost a year ago. I've seen Dr.s' Reich and Shakov for fills. They are very nice and professional as well as their office staff. I also go to the Bayshore office. I couldn't say enough about Bayshore Hospital and all their employees you come in contact with during this journey. Wishing you the best, read and learn as much as you can on this wonderful website. Ask as many questions as you need to learn in order to go through this. It'll be 1 yr for me in 3 weeks and if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't think twice about it! As well as myself. The best to you.

A friend of mine has lost over 150lbs to lapband surgery which is wonderful. She still has a way to go however, she is looking for a great body shaper to keep things tucked in all over. She eventually would like plastic surgery but wants to get to her goal before she does that. She's a good 300+ lbs right now. Appreciate any suggestions from those who have found something that works for them. Meredith

Wow! You guys' {gals} are awesome! No wonder that I missed you all so much! LadyB, thanks for the shout out to all, LOL, Chrissy, the thoughts & prayers and Dee {our lurker} congrats to you, sounds like you're doing awesome despite the plateau, but also thanks for your generous offer! Dee, we don't have little kids, but thank you once again. My first floor was the entire living space, 3 bedrooms, baths, kitchen, etc. The only thing we saved was our head and foot boards to our bed. Don't know why but it fared well with cleaning the bacteria and mildew but the jury is still out on that until we get back in. Fortunately, most of my thinner clothes I had been saving over the year's "when I lose weight in the back of the proverbial closet was upstairs. I lost mainly summer tee's and sad to say, my 'priceless' Marshall's gym clothes. :-(. All my shoes which again fortunately, I'm not a shoe person however.... and all of our furniture which Fortunately, I didn't care for that much as my husband chose the couches!!!! So, we now have a blank canvas, if you will, to start over and just get the things we need, not want. Amazing what a disaster can do to one's hoarding stuff {my DH} and attitude. You realize that those things just aren't important any longer. :-) Adversity is good for the soul and to get by in life.