blossom

Jonanthan and Petunia, congratulations on getting your surgery dates. It'll be here before you know it!

I still clean my plate, although I have been trying to put less on it. If I ever get good restriction, I hope to break this awful habit. I'm scared to death that I won't be able to figure out what my stop signal is!

I was on FULL liquids (meaning anything that can go through a straw) for a week after surgery. Then mushies for a week, then on to solids. I had to do clear liquids for 10 days BEFORE surgery!

WooHoo!!! WTG, Rachel! Your getting closer every day. I don't know why I didn't have to do a psych eval, but I am sure glad I didn't!! They would probably put me away for good, LOL!

I have a big butt desk job, too. I had surgery on a Friday and went back to work the following Wednesday. I could have easily gone back on Tuesday, though!

Update.....I saw my dr this morning. We had a discussion and I feel better about most of the issues I've been complaining about. Turns out my band is NOT the 10cc band, but rather the 10cm. It still has a fill capacity of 4cc's. Duh!!! I feel so stupid for misunderstanding him on that! Anyway, he told me that he has another lower BMI patient and she and I are having the same exact issues. This is causing them to re-think how to treat lower BMI's! So next Monday, the dr is going to meet me in radiology at the hospital and I will have a barium swallow and a fill. Finally, a proper fill!!! I'm excited about that! I tried to talk him into this the last time, but he didn't think that was necessary. Hmmph!! Guess I was right after all. He thought I only have 1.5 cc's in my band right now, but then I reminded him that I had called and gotten that order changed to 1cc. He had a very funny look on his face. I am wondering if the coordinator just changed the order and sent it to radiology without him even knowing about it!!! Yikes! And speaking of the coordinator, she was very pleasant and professional with me this morning, but she never actually looked at me. LOL, that was just fine with me! I asked about the 18 months of free fills and followup. He said there has been some misunderstandings between his office and the hospital in how all of this was supposed to be billed. The hosp. was supposed to only charge the insurance around $100 and then my copay would be very little (still not free, but close). He said they are working hard to get it all taken care of and I will likely get money back. We will see.... Anyway, after this next fill he will likely being doing my fills in his office and they will be free. All in all, I think my dr was working very hard to assure me that he intends work with me and get all these issues cleared up. I'm gonna give him the chance to do that. I really want to trust in him.

Well, so far, I have only had them done at the hospital and they charged my insurance around $750.

Lisa, I have been super depressed about this for weeks! I know about your port issues, too. I have followed along with all your posts. I hope you get everything fixed up very soon and that you heal completely. I think I am going to demand a copy of my records while I am at the drs. office, in case I need to find a new dr. LOL, Pat! I think I will just print out this entire post and take a copy for him and a copy for me, then demand that we sit down and go over the whole thing!!!

Good luck, Samy!!! Let us know how it went as soon as you can!

About Mexican drs.... If I went to Mexico for fills and later on had a problem with my band and needed to see a dr here in the states, would I be able to find one that would see me and would my insurance cover any of the costs? I'm thinking probably not. This is something to consider... I have an appointment to see my dr at 930 on Wednesday. I gotta get my ammunition ready!

Thanks, ya'll! I feel better just having your input!!! I fully intend to get in my drs face on these issues. I plan to hit him with my plan of action if he doesn't get his ass in gear and get me some restriction. Michelle, you hit the nail right on the head! My dh works for a major airline, so I fly free. If my current dr doesn't stand up to his end of the bargain, then I will go to Mexico for my fills. I am just giving my dr here another chance before I do that, though. I currently live about 5 blocks from the hosp in one direction and about 8 blocks from the drs office in the other direction. It would be so convenient if I could just get it done properly...

And towards my dr! On my initial visit, the dr said I would get the smaller size band, but then gave me the 10cc and didn't even tell me until a few weeks AFTER surgery. When my DH and I attended the initial seminar that this dr and his partner held, we were told that the price included 18 months of free follow up and fills. Now that I have the band, the dr decided that fills should be done at the hosp under flouro (for which I am glad), but I feel like my insurance and my wallet (I have to pay a portion) are being milked for all they can get and I STILL don't have restriction after 2 fills. Now that the new year is here, I will have to pay my deductibles all over again. What happened to free???? This really makes me angry...And it certainly doesn't help that the coordinator I have to speak to when I call my dr's office always seems to give me attitude. It's all I can do not to just go off on her!!!! My stomach NEVER says stop!!! I have had 2 fills, 1cc each, and still can't tell I have a band. I spoke to my dr regarding being more aggressive with my fills, I told him that I have heard of several other people who have the 10cc band and got 3 to 4cc's on the first fill. He said that's just too much and then started quoting "nationwide results" to me. My first fill was 1cc and after my conversation with him, he said my second fill would be 1cc as well. When I got to the hosp and saw his orders, it said .5cc! I blew a gasket and called his office and demanded that those orders be changed to 1cc, which was done. He just won't listen to me!!! How can I make this man understand that I need restriction and I need it NOW! If I got this kind of result out of a product that I purchased, I would either take it back for a full refund or contact the BBB. Who do you contact regarding medical services? This wheel is ready to start squeaking, BIG TIME! I'm gaining weight and will very soon need to buy bigger clothes. How do you follow bandster rules when you have no restriction? 1/4 cup or this or 1/2 cup of that just doesn't work for me. I will not diet. Period. Diets have never worked for me and I will not go down that miserable road again. I am going to call the dr office again on Monday to ask for another fill. God only knows what it's going to cost me this time.... Sorry for the vent, but I'm so upset that this band isn't working for me. I go into tears every time I think about it.

Wow, Curley! In that pic you don't look like you need ANYTHING done! Awesome job!!!

Wow, Leo!!! You look awesome!!! Thanks for sharing.

Aw, Betty!!! I'm so sorry you got the flu! How miserable!!! I hope you get to feeling better very soon.

Sheesh!!! I just now read this thread and I am so sorry Patti is back in the hosp. I'm sending prayers and good wishes to you both.

Wow!!! Alex, you look great!

I'm home! We left early Tuesday morning and got in late last night, exhausted. Our trip was very spur of the moment. No time for planning, barely enough time to book a hotel. We only went to San Juan. It was nothing like I expected it to be. I guess it's most like New York City. It's HUGE!!! All hustle bustle and it never sleeps. We arrived late Tuesday afternoon and just wondered around then went out to dinner. Luckily, our hotel was near the beach, so we spent a full day just doing the beach thing. I'm already peeling like a banana!! The next day was touring Old San Juan. How beautiful! The architecture on the old buildings is just gorgeous with lots and lots of balconies, dripping lush foliage and blooms. As we were shopping along one of the narrow streets, a large group of people (there must have been at least a hundred!) rounded the corner clapping their hands and singing. We were swallowed by them! They filled the sidewalks and the street and just kept clapping and singing. I clicked a pic, hung onto a car and just smiled and smiled. I don't know what they were singing, but they were happy and that made us happy too. The old city wall was first built back in the 1500's and looked so cool rising out of the turquois sea. We also toured Fort San Cristobal. Wow!!! It's definitely a must see. Then we caught the city bus to take us back to our hotel area, missed our stop and rode that darn bus for 2 hours, LOL!!! But it was a great way to see some of the city. There is a gigantic mall in San Juan. The traffic was just jammed all around it. It took us 45 minutes just to go around two sides of it! Oh, don't ever go to San Juan and think your gonna just rent a car to get around. Sure you can rent the car, but driving in San Juan is CRAZY!!! I will go back to Puerto Rico some day, but I want to visit the other side of the island when I do. I also want to go up into the mountains. Wow, there is just so much to see there!! Here are just a few pics (hope this works!)...

Hey everyone! I'm currently in San Juan, PR. I'm on my way home tonight, and will fill you all in on the details later. Just missed you guys and wanted to say hi. Talk to you later!!!

Welcome to the board, Petunia!!! Congratulations on getting approved! I had to do 10 days of liquid pre-surgery, which was difficult to say the least, but I lost 7lbs. I liked the

Congratulations, Darcey!!!! So glad it all went so well for you!!

Have a great trip!

Hi and welcome!!! My first step (after doing a lot of research) was to find a surgeon and attend his seminar. That is where I learned of the steps to take next. Basically, it was getting a letter recommending WLS from my PCP, getting copies of medical records that proved dr supervised weightloss program, documenting any and all attempts at weightloss, plus their was a questionaire supplied by the surgoen to be filled out. The surgeon wanted all of this to be done BEFORE my initial visit with him. So I took all of this info with me to my first appointment and his office turned it all into my insurance. Then the waiting began. It was the hardest part of the whole process!!!! Hang in there and follow all the dr's instructions and you will soon be a bandster too!!! Good luck!

Welcome, Sharon!!! It's great to see a lapband veteran with such an amazing weightloss. Gives the rest of us inspiration. Thanks for sharing!

Got my longjohns on!!! Everything is covered in white here north of Dallas. It really is beautiful!