Cocoabean

Finger foods are bad because we tend to take big bites of them. That said, I can do OK with carrots, pretzels, chips (of course), crackers, drier cheeses rather than smooth ones. Little sandwiches are out due to the bread. Rolled deli meats are good. Cherry tomatoes can be bad because of the skin. Celery is OK if the string is removed, cucumber works for me. Broccoli and cauliflour are hit and miss.

You have done fabulously if you have a leak! I am sorry to hear of the problem. I don't know much about it. But once you get it fixed and get to restriction, I am betting you'll really get to losing without the hunger. Wishing you a speedy fix and recovery!

You're welcome, Stacie! My surgeon allows me to take NSAIDS occasionally. I was taking them daily before my surgery for joint pain. If you cannot take codeine, can you take Vicodin? It helps with bursitis pain. Cortisone shots aren't bad. They do relieve the pain. Sorry if I ruined your screen, Elfie!

Sometimes it's good, sometimes not so good. With bigger pieces I take them apart. It sort of defeats the flavor a bit, but it is still yummy. I have gotten stuck on it more than once, though. You have to be very careful with it. The seaweed can cause problems as well as the rice, it is hard to chew.

I was weighed after I got into a hospital gown, before they started IV fluids.

Google weight loss surgery appeals letter. You will find examples. Also the book Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies has some examples. On mine, (I no longer have a copy, the computer I wrote it on is dead), I appealed the 6 month requirement. I won by submitting Weight Watchers Records and other personal journals. You can request a copy of the letter written by your doctor. It might cost you for the copying, but you are entitled to anything in your medical records. Anything you send to your insurance company should be sent via Fed Ex or certified mail so you have proof that you sent it. Keep copies of everything. The denial letter should state why they denied you and also contain steps for an appeal. Don't give up, that is what they want. My PCP said that the medical group he was in ALWAYS denies a request for a referral to a bariatric surgeon. If you go away, they are happy. Best wishes!

Stacie, we all go through down times, it is OK. we are here to support each other, through the good and bad! Ok, here is my stuck story of the weekend. DH and I went to PF Changs for lunch on Saturday. My band has been pretty fickle lately. I think due to the MIL stresses. So, I ordered the Dynamite Shrimp from the appetizer menu. DH and I were discussing Medicare/Tricare for Life/Medicaid...ooh fun. When the shrimp stopped going down. So, I excused myself and went to the ladies room. I put the seat protector down to stop the backsplash and did my thing. Of course the room got very quiet just as I yakked up the offending shrimp. ("BaaHAAAK") As I was still leaning and sliming and yakking, I discovered that Changs as automatic flushers! OMG, I had a face shower! Yeah, good times. And I soooo wish that stall walls would go to the floor, I hate it that people can see your feet facing the wrong way. UGH. Of course, when I made that observation to my DH, he said, well, just use the Men's room. No one would think twice about feet facing the wall in the the stall in there! Thanks, Honey, yeah, I wanna toss my cookies in a Men's room toilet. I don't think so! Gross! So, other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

I wing it. It was important to me that I don't journal or weigh and measure. I tend to obsess over things and didn't want to go that route again. I lost 40 lbs on Weight Watchers and maintained it for 2 years by obsessively tracking everything that went in my mouth. It bordered on some form of an eating disorder or OCD. So far, it has worked well for me. If that changes, I am open to journaling or weighing/measuring. Part of the reason I got the band is so that I have an internal means of portion control.

Just my opinion here.....No carbs? As in Zero? That seems a bit extreme, perhaps unhealthy. Or are you allowed to get some carbs from complex carbs or fruits? Many surgeons say no snacking. I had an interesting conversation with mine about the topic. His rule is no snacking as well. I said well, it is a very long haul from lunch at 11 to dinner at 6. He said I could have food in between meals if needed and planned. His definition of "snacking" is brainless eating. DOH! Ya couldn't have told me that before I was frustrated because I wasn't following the no snacking rule by having my string cheese or banana when I got home from work? Was the nutritionist part of your surgeon's group? If so, I'd work with her on the diet part. She has studied nutrition far more than the surgeon.

There are those who report bands getting tighter over time. It is not unheard of. If you are getting lots of reflux, you could have some swelling going on. It depends on your anatomy and how much fat is underneath the band. Reflux can be a sign of a band that is too tight. Congrats on the 73 lbs lost!

The first couple of days are the worst! Even though it doesn't help, keep up with the liquid pain meds. Take it on a schedule. Keep the levels of medicine in your system. Walking does help. A heating pad on the tummy also helps. You might be able to catch some catnaps in a recliner. I know whenever I have anesthesia my muscles all feel sore afterwards. If the pain is unbearable, call you surgeon's office and tell them. Perhaps they can prescribe something else.

Often the plan brochures will discuss co-insurances and how it all works. You can usually find them online. Not sure it would speed up the process. Generally one insurance will be primary, I believe that one would dictate the speed of approval. I could be wrong, though. Your knowledge can help other members once you get it figured out!

Welcome to the forum! If the pain is getting worse, give your surgeon a call. Is the area red or warm to the touch? Did you do something that might have tweaked a stitch? You can feel the port under the skin, yes. We pay our surgeons large sums of money to take care of us, give him or her a call to be on the safe side.

Part of it may be that the band has only been covered by most insurances in the US for about 3 years, and the majority of members here are from the US. Just a thought.

Hi Everyone, Poking my head back in. Was gone for a few days. At an out of town meeting herding cats. About a dozen managers to facilitate. My hubby came along and we stayed at a beautiful hotel. One of the managers negotiated a great deal for us within the government's per diem rate. We got a nice chance to get away and relax. I didn't have much time to get online. Butters stayed with his girlfriend, Stella. He was tired and sore when we got home. Our neighbors have a big hill in their backyard. He loves to go up and down the hill sniffing and watering the plants. He's 8 now, it takes a toll. Jackie from Maine, congrats on the 6 pounds!!! That's awesome. Leigha, way to go on the puppy, can't wait to see pics when you get it. Elfie, I had LASIK in 1999. It corrects vision problems due to the shape of your cornea. Mine was myopia and astigmatism. When presbyopia sets in, or the problem with the ability to focus close-up due old age, you need reading glasses. Due to the amount of astigmatism, my left eye remained a bit under corrected, or a bit near sighted, so I can still read many things without readers at 47, but the fine print, forget it, and each year my arms are getting shorter. I was able to go without glasses for years. I was told by my eye surgeon that this would happen, so it came as no surprise. Apparently, some surgeons do not tell people--they are shocked when it happens to them. But I love it, even with the pain of the readers. Ok, well, I am off! Catch you all tomorrow!!

Crystl, it is my left eye as well! I had LASIK several years ago and am needing readers now for the small print as well. My left eye is weaker than my right. I had lazy eye as a child. I figure it is a combo of strain and stress. But it is making me nuts! I am thinking of making an appointment with the doctor who did my LASIK. I can get a refraction on my insurance, but I think the ophthalmologist would be a good idea. We took MIL to the doctor today, he did not have much to say, other than it is a fine balance of medications when you have multiple issues of congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, and kidney failure. She's 30 lbs heavier than she was in September. All in the legs. All water weight. Ah the joys! This is the third parent to be gravely ill during the Christmas season for us.

I didn't have to do pureed, not sure if I could have done it, either. But then again, I was eyeballing my dog (not his food, the DOG). Luckily for him he could move faster than I, and he escaped my clutches. I went from Clear liquids to a full liquid diet for a week. Full liquid includes scrambled eggs (tread lightly, eggs can be a problem for bandsters), mashed potatoes, cream of wheat, oat meal, cottage cheese,, apple sauce, yogurt, strained creamy soups and some other things I have probably forgotten. Do a search of full liquid diet. I was surprised to see everything that was on it. Others have done baby food...I could not go there! blah!

Southbay as in San Diego southbay? La Mesa here! Howdy!

Shad, Milk of Magnesia works really well, too. Your DH sounds like a keeper. Elcee, do you maybe have delayed notifications set? It says something about not notifying you until your next visit or something. Well, I am off for a work trip for three days tomorrow. DH is going with me, so I guess the SILs will need to handle things at home. I am hoping we can de-stress a bit. I have this twitch in my eye that is driving me crazy! Been there for over two weeks now! Criminey. I've been having heartburn lately. I figure it is the stress making the band tighter. What fun. Melody, sounds like things are cruising along OK for you. DH and I hit 20 years last July. Each year we re-up for another year. Last year we decided on a conditional 20, to be re-evaluated each ear. So, basically the same thing as always. Bob, how ya feeling? Staci, pulling for you to make it through!!

It sounds like it could be a slip. I believe an erosion is best diagnosed by endoscopy. Good luck! Hope you feel better soon!

MaineJackie, welcome! Glad to have you join our group. 40 lbs is nothing to sneeze at. Great work! Bob, 7 lbs of skin and other tissue is a lot. Glad to hear you are recovering. If anybody asks, I hate computers! I store my itunes on an external hard drive. Just tried to open it and no go. Sheesh..now trying to fix that. Ugh.. And SIL is dropping heavy hints that she wants me to fix her computer. I played stupid.

Melody, I feel like we should all break into "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" looking at the little Charlie Brown tree, it is darling!! Yes, DH is a very good man. I think I'll keep him for at least another 20 years.

Bob, glad you made it through OK! YAY! How much weight did you lose during the surgery?

Melody! Way to go!!! Leigha, what a story. You did well. Glad the owner was pleased. Who wouldn't have been to have someone thinking. I bet you'll be the one with the key next time! Shammah, right there with you on the caregiver and fighting thing. However, we have reached a truce. At the advice or counsel (my R.N. sister and a good friend who has gone through the MIL thing) and at the insistence of my DH, I am stepping back from caregiving. There's a lot of family politics involved, but DH has decided that I am not to be involved in the day to day stuff. He will do home maintenance and his sisters (two of them, one retired living on premises, one semi-retired) can do the care stuff. I have to support his decision. I love him, and I live with him. MIL needs more help than she is willing to admit. She can't get out of a chair, but she tries. She's going to fall one of these times. Can't wait.

Hi Diva, I did send Alex a PM, and made this post. Hopefully he can find those old FAQs. They were great for newcomers.