Kitt3000

TatorTot,
Reading your post makes me so grateful I am blessed with a job with private insurance. I am a vet and am extremely grateful for that private insurance that allowed me to have this life changing surgery. Honestly, I don't know where to begin but to tell you YOU ARE WORTH the cost of this surgery. If my insurance didn't cover the surgery, I would have paid cash, taking out a loan if I had to. I was even looking into going to Mexico if my insurance didn't cover and I had to pay for it. Granted, I'm closer to Mexico and the traveling would have been easier for me.
I went through the VA's so called weight loss program years ago. I've done everything to lose weight. Took Phentramine, (legal prescription speed) and lost 60 pounds. My blood pressure went so high I had to be put on blood pressure pills! Then as soon as I stopped--that 60 lost turned into an 80 pound regain.
I absolutely HATE the archaic attitude at the VA. If being obese were so damn easy to treat and overcome--we wouldn't have to have 85% of our stomachs removed to help deal with being obese. I had a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, (VSG), to TREAT my obesity. I think what I find most offensive in the medical profession is this attitude that we just have to eat less and move more. This is a multi-faceted DISEASE. Just like cancer, heart disease or any other. It's NOT A MATTER OF CHOICE. Would anyone choose to be treated the way obese people are? By total strangers.
My life is almost 180 degrees different than before surgery, or is that 360 degrees? I can't remember which one is a total turn around. I went through years of counseling to try and lose the weight, thinking it was attributed to childhood trauma. To fix my head, I HAD TO FIX my stomach. I can no longer stuff feelings down with food. I have depression and take Zoloft to deal with it. Since I've lost the weight, my depression has gotten much better. I will admit I went through a dark time when I had lost the weight and had to adjust to this new life but I AM WORTH IT. I used counseling, exercise and my faith to get through.
PLEASE, PLEASE, don't give up the battle. Explore your options for self pay. I don't know if you want the surgeons at the VA doing the surgery. They probably don't do that many of them and frankly, I wanted someone who would be able to do the surgery in their sleep to do mine.
I wish you luck and I'll keep you in my prayers,
Kathleen

Wow, I feel terrible for you. That is a LOT to go through, with the insurance company giving you a bunch of B.S.
Most all of us who decided on WLS, have major issues around food. We're emotional eaters, depressed, addicted to food, etc. As you said, if you weren't, then you would not be here! I feel angry just reading your post; totally unfair. There is absolutely no guarantee that any of us, bipolar or not, will maintain our weight loss. This is a life long issue, and the surgery doesn't end the battle. Surgery is a tool, not a cure.
It certainly sounds like you no longer have the wherewithal to continue the fight. And I understand that. But fast forward a year or two from now; where will you be? Heavier? Have you considered having surgery outside of the country? Have you discussed a cash pay scenario with the bariatric facility of your choice? I really hate to see you throw in the towel. Given who we are, and the curse we live with, I'm rooting for you to find a way around the system. Ugh.....I feel so bad for you. Your insurance company needs some enlightening!

All of us are emotional eaters, how do you think we got to the point of needing surgery?? My doctor's office taught me that and they give you the tool of the surgery along with tools to deal with emotional eating. We won't ever be cured but if we can control it most of the time, then we'll be a success story. As my psych put it, everyone is an emotional eater. It starts in infancy when mom holds the baby while feeding it.
And if we could all "lose the weight" we wouldn't need surgery. I completely understand you feeling defeated and giving up. I've done that so many times. I would find another way. Someone mentioned Mexico and that sounds like something to check out. If this is something you want, don't give up.

eggs are a powerhouse of nutrition and the gold standard for Protein. I eat the whole darn thing.

As far as I'm concerned you're missing out the best bit of the egg if you only eat the whites. Why would you not eat the yolk? If it's to do with cholesterol I'm sure I read somewhere that there's no proven link between cholesterol in eggs and blood cholesterol. If it's to do with digestion then a small amount of low-fat mayo would help it go down.

You could have the four inches I have to have cut off and re- hemmed! Lol!

Obviously, if you can't get Water down, you are too tight.
If you can get a full cup of water down in one continuous drink- not sipping, are you too loose?
If your food goes right past your band with no stopping, but you can eat smaller portions and feel satisfied for two hours, are you too loose?
If your food stays with you for four or more hours, feeling satisfied and not hungry, are you too tight?
If all you can think about is food, are you hungry and obsessed ? Or just obsessed?
If you never think of food, but know you have ate very little that day, are you too tight?
What is a portion size? Is it 1/4 cup of dense Protein? One slice of deli meat?
Veterans of the band, please weigh in on the topic and feel free to add your questions and comments.

I'm in the same spot right now as well. I had to have a bit out, even when he gave me a cup of Water, we both realized the band was pretty open. Since then, I still eat my small portions, but with in hour and a half, I am HUNGRY. I find myself grazing on crackers. Water water water.... I will be happy to get back to where I was. I can't wait- but have to. Arrrrgh!!

Unbroken40, why did they do a complete unfill if you were in your green zone? Confused.

I have weighed myself every single day since I started this journey. I have found that it helps keep me on track. I don't get upset when I see a little bit of fluctuation because I know that I didn't gain a pound or even 5 pounds in 1 single day so, it has to be simply that, fluctuation due to Water retention. I'm okay with that. In fact, after months of doing this, I've figured out the cycle and I know when to expect it and I know when it's going to drop off too. Having said that, I'm at a point in my journey where I'm beginning the transition from weight loss to weight maintenance so my surgeon has suggested to me that I weigh daily so that I always know where I'm at and he has said that I should do that for the rest of my life so that I don't unknowingly creep up more than the normal fluctuation and end up regaining 20 lbs without realizing it and then getting frustrated and falling back into old ways. He says this way, I will see it happen sooner and that will be my signal to re-evaluate and figure out what the cause is whether it be that I'm eating too much and need another fill, being too lax in what I eat and need to get back to the basics, or slacking in exercise and need to hit the gym. Whatever the case may be, the scale will tell on ya every time and there's no denying it.

I weigh every day, sometimes a 2nd time at the gym...and each time brings a feeling of satisfaction and victory...and a assurance due to the fact I have NOT gained any weight in almost 4 years now.....only lost and then leveled out at a healthy place.
LOVE IT!!!!!!
HOWEVER....before my surgery, I was too embarrassed and also did not want to face the music....so I avoided the scale.
People ask me what was my highest weight before surgery, and I honestly cannot answer because I knew it was bad...so never weighed myself...
But today, I can't pass one buy without getting on it!!!

Tuesday is my weigh n day. I ONLY weigh once a week.... Trying not to get in the habit of going to the scale all the time.

I usually weigh once a day. I do not have a negative reaction if it has not gone down or even if it goes up. I know that weight can fluctuate, and I also know that I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, and a lot of the time I have a bit of swelling throughout my body.

I weigh myself once each morning and record the weight. It helps to tell me if I am still on track. As I go through the weight loss process, my body changes and this is a tool for keeping informed.

I will remain a slave to the scale. As I lose this weight, that is creeping off of me, it motivates me to see every single pound or ounce that I lose. When I don't lose, yes, it's frustrating, but seeing the same number several weeks in a row motivates me to drink more Water. This water issue is something I've struggled with from day one. I simply have not been able to drink the 64 ounces, yet! So I push myself to drink more to see if it will make a difference. When I get to goal I will continue to remain a slave to the scale, because I NEVER EVER WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT 230 POUND WOMAN, ever! As the weigh is coming off I'm finally beginning to take some physical pleasure in the happy, confident woman I see smiling back at me in the mirror.

You could have the four inches I have to have cut off and re- hemmed! Lol!

Hiya!!
Yes It was really good thank you! I got second place so I was absolutely made up!
I made a picnic for everyone with sandwiches
And for me I had a flask with homemade Soup in it and some cracker breads and Just a tub with chicken in, but to be honest with you I didn't really eat much because I hardly stopped all day.
And by the end of it all I was too tired to eat ????
It was a great work out! Haha x x

Put the money you spend on cola, into an interest-bearing savings account and watch how fast it adds uP!
Visualise yourself buying ALL those cute new clothes with the cola-savings when you've lost your weight.

@@Penoto hi there! I have no background in this area but just wanted to say, wow, you are doing beautifully. Congratulations! You've really caught the exercise fever. I am a 53 female, walk four miles/day (fast, but nothing compared to the burn of running) and consume a lot more calories than you. I believe in listening to the body -- if yours is telling you to up the calories, find what you need with regard to Protein, healthy fats, "good" carbs, etc. Keep burning that fat while keeping the muscle. Awesome.

@@SashaWLS I would ask yourself this question, why are these things calling your name? What about eating these foods makes you feel satisfied?
Is it the taste? The texture? The comfort of eating them?
I think to really change our habits we have to understand why we have them and what it is that's in our lives that has us gravitating towards certain things and not others especially the things that are not healthy for us.
For me I know that my nemesis is chocolate anything and salt. I enjoy the taste, and texture of salted caramel or a smooth piece of sugary chocolate. It comforts me and makes me feel like everything is OK. I realized that when my life is upside down or I am in a frenzy. What I need is comfort and relaxation and release of tension and for me a Magnum ice cream bar is like a big comfy hug or a snuggle, and I realized that is what I need in those moments not the extra sugar and calories.
I hope my understanding helps you in some way....

@lisacaron, definitely the texture and feeling are a big part of it... The fats feel good going down, soothing, silky, and I've struggled with heartburn. I did have the band loosened about 2 weeks ago—I was suffering terribly with heartburn and starting to get some reflux, but that's totally gone now and I'm starting to feel better. And actually, until you asked i hadn't put the two together, so perhaps that's as much of it as anything, and maybe the cravings will go away as my esophagus heals.... But I think it's also just comfort food. Kinda like taking drugs. I eat the fats and my body goes "whoosh, relax!" I'm SO stressed out at work and crazed with life that I'm kinda like the rat who presses the button over and over and over again. Thanks for your kind reply, and for asking a question. A lot to think about here...

If there is one thing I have found out.. Getting too hungry is a recipe for disaster with my band.

So today I went to the Dr. b/c I went from just right to too tight. I had about 7cc in a 10cc band since July. I have been doing great, and suddenly after a few extreme things. Car accident, medications and getting sick...my band was too tight. I did what B52 does, went to liquids only in the hope that the swelling would subside and I would be OK. Then yesterday one sip of Water and a hiccup and it went flying out and I nearly choked on it.
This morning I couldn't swallow my own saliva and that is just too tight, I knew there was an issue I got myself right to the Dr. at 8 am this morning.
After barium swallow it showed the pouch was dilated. They removed 5cc of Fluid and put me on a full liquid diet for 3 weeks.
They did this because they want the pouch to rest from all the stress on it shrink back. Think of a ring that's too tight on your finger, the longer you leave it there your finger doesn't shrink, it just continues to swell as the blood pools above the constriction. It's the same for your stomach and your band. Not just from the volume of food or Water in the pouch but from your own body fluids, blood, stomach acids, enzymes and blood.
Don't mess with it, if you are too tight and it's not right go to the Dr. and if they suggest and un-fill don't fight it. I'd rather have the ring cut off then my finger....just as I'd rather have my band unfilled then have it slip or prolapse and need more surgery.

This morning I ran another 5K and I couldn't believe how much I have changed. In the past, on a rainy, cold Saturday morning you couldn't get me out of the bed. The day after Halloween would have been a drunken sugar high crash. But today I sprang up at 6:30am, got my family up too, and got ready to run. It was only 43 degrees out with sprinkles and wind, but being up and outside was almost magical. I love being a runner! My daughter ran a 1K fun run, then it was my turn. With gloves and earmuffs, I started out and ran my best mile ever at 12:14, then kicked ass to finish up at 40:06. When I saw the finish line a half mile off, I'd never tried so hard in all my life. It was glorious!!! My latest goal has been to finish a 5K under 40, so I am just *that close*!! I'm signed up for a Turkey Trot and I'm GONNA DO IT this time.

Thanks ladies! I'm so happy to hear these things, and the little shake Diva! I know everyone needs a place to chat, I think four or five of the last few days, some of the email I've had has been terrible situations for folks that are having bands removed or no weight loss, regains... Yes, I need to reset some settings, I'm almost afraid to open my email. I really love hearing from long term banders, it really helps! Thank you.