Cocoabean

My medical group would not let me see my surgeon without a 6 month supervised diet. I appealed with multiple Weight Watchers records, personal diaries, a graph I put together of years worth if diet attempts, and information on a hospital supervised program I did (this one did not involved weighing in).
I followed the example appeal letter in WLS for Dummies. Explained that another 6 month program would change nothing. That all I wanted was to be healthier for myself and my family.
I won the appeal and did NOT have to do a 6 month program.
But as previous posters have said, see what your surgeon and insurance company says. If your insurance company requires it, you will need to do an appeal to get around it.
Best wishes to you!!

2 more years have gone by...status still the same at 7 1/2 years out!

Slime is the mucous the body generates trying to help the stuck item go down. It is very thick and clingy. When it cannot go down, it comes up..you cannot swallow it, so you must spit it out. Once the stuck item is cleared, then the sliming will stop.

I heard many of the same things. My weight is well proportioned. When I'd tell people how much I weighed, many would be shocked.
I'd say, so I should continue to gain until I am in full blown diabetes and heart disease? I don't deserve treatment because I just barely qualify? You don't walk on my knees, hips, and feet every day.
If I only had one blocked artery in my heart, rather than four, do I not deserve to have it treated? Or do I have the heart attack? My appendix was only a little infected, so I should have waited until it burst? Our society is still biased.
I thank them for their concern and say that surgery might not have been the right decision for them, but after all my research, with my medical history, and on the advice of my primary care doctor and my surgeon, whom I trust and respect, I have decided to proceed. (Using the medical team's name usually shuts them up, as they are not doctors!)
Now, 4.5 years and 75 lbs later most people agree that I made the right decision for me. It might not be right for everyone. I don't tell anyone that they should run out and get surgery. If asked about my experience I gladly talk about it, but I don't encourage anyone to have surgery. I tell them to research and make the most informed decision they can.
I had to learn to shut those conversations down in a polite way. It's sort of a debate-team type of thing. But it really isn't open for discussion. When you say it in a matter of fact way that I have done my research, my doctors agree, and it is the right decision for me, maybe not for you, but thank you--then change the subject...there really is no reply for it.

I know budget can be a big factor is shopping strategy. But some excellent suggestions have gone before me.
I find wearing clothes that fit nicely to be a good motivator. Wearing loose and baggy stuff doesn't show the new me!
My surgeon has a support group where they do a clothing exchage, and people bring in what doesn't fit to donate to those who can use them. Perhaps there is something like that in your areas? Or you could start something.
I love to shop, so I bought a few things with every size drop. But some of my nicer things I had tailored to fit the smaller me.
In my area having a pair of slacks taken in is around $14.00. Not bad to keep a fairly expensive pair of pants in the closet for a while. When done by a professional, you can't tell that anything was done. Had I attempted it, ugh!
Has anyone else noticed that pants get longer as your thighs get thinner?
Now that my weight is pretty stable, I don't have the excuse to shop so much
My size has never been the same this long, I might actually wear something out!
Denise

Hello everyone! I've not been here in a while. Today is my 6th Bandiversary! I am down 70 lbs. and living at my goal weight for the last 3 1/2 years. My weight is pretty stable and I don't have to work very hard to maintain. I do get stuck from time-to-time, mostly when I take a bite that is too big, or don't chew well enough. You'd think I'd have learned by now.
Last November I got my first tattoo to Celebrate my battle.
Denise
Highest 220, Current 145-150
  

Hello everyone! I've not been here in a while. Today is my 6th Bandiversary! I am down 70 lbs. and living at my goal weight for the last 3 1/2 years. My weight is pretty stable and I don't have to work very hard to maintain. I do get stuck from time-to-time, mostly when I take a bite that is too big, or don't chew well enough. You'd think I'd have learned by now.
Last November I got my first tattoo to Celebrate my battle.
Denise
Highest 220, Current 145-150
  

Hello everyone! I've not been here in a while. Today is my 6th Bandiversary! I am down 70 lbs. and living at my goal weight for the last 3 1/2 years. My weight is pretty stable and I don't have to work very hard to maintain. I do get stuck from time-to-time, mostly when I take a bite that is too big, or don't chew well enough. You'd think I'd have learned by now.
Last November I got my first tattoo to Celebrate my battle.
Denise
Highest 220, Current 145-150
  

Hello everyone! I've not been here in a while. Today is my 6th Bandiversary! I am down 70 lbs. and living at my goal weight for the last 3 1/2 years. My weight is pretty stable and I don't have to work very hard to maintain. I do get stuck from time-to-time, mostly when I take a bite that is too big, or don't chew well enough. You'd think I'd have learned by now.
Last November I got my first tattoo to Celebrate my battle.
Denise
Highest 220, Current 145-150
  

Hello everyone! I've not been here in a while. Today is my 6th Bandiversary! I am down 70 lbs. and living at my goal weight for the last 3 1/2 years. My weight is pretty stable and I don't have to work very hard to maintain. I do get stuck from time-to-time, mostly when I take a bite that is too big, or don't chew well enough. You'd think I'd have learned by now.
Last November I got my first tattoo to Celebrate my battle.
Denise
Highest 220, Current 145-150
  

Hello everyone! I've not been here in a while. Today is my 6th Bandiversary! I am down 70 lbs. and living at my goal weight for the last 3 1/2 years. My weight is pretty stable and I don't have to work very hard to maintain. I do get stuck from time-to-time, mostly when I take a bite that is too big, or don't chew well enough. You'd think I'd have learned by now.
Last November I got my first tattoo to Celebrate my battle.
Denise
Highest 220, Current 145-150
  

Hello everyone! I've not been here in a while. Today is my 6th Bandiversary! I am down 70 lbs. and living at my goal weight for the last 3 1/2 years. My weight is pretty stable and I don't have to work very hard to maintain. I do get stuck from time-to-time, mostly when I take a bite that is too big, or don't chew well enough. You'd think I'd have learned by now.
Last November I got my first tattoo to Celebrate my battle.
Denise
Highest 220, Current 145-150
  

Hello everyone! I've not been here in a while. Today is my 6th Bandiversary! I am down 70 lbs. and living at my goal weight for the last 3 1/2 years. My weight is pretty stable and I don't have to work very hard to maintain. I do get stuck from time-to-time, mostly when I take a bite that is too big, or don't chew well enough. You'd think I'd have learned by now.
Last November I got my first tattoo to Celebrate my battle.
Denise
Highest 220, Current 145-150
  

I heard many of the same things. My weight is well proportioned. When I'd tell people how much I weighed, many would be shocked.
I'd say, so I should continue to gain until I am in full blown diabetes and heart disease? I don't deserve treatment because I just barely qualify? You don't walk on my knees, hips, and feet every day.
If I only had one blocked artery in my heart, rather than four, do I not deserve to have it treated? Or do I have the heart attack? My appendix was only a little infected, so I should have waited until it burst? Our society is still biased.
I thank them for their concern and say that surgery might not have been the right decision for them, but after all my research, with my medical history, and on the advice of my primary care doctor and my surgeon, whom I trust and respect, I have decided to proceed. (Using the medical team's name usually shuts them up, as they are not doctors!)
Now, 4.5 years and 75 lbs later most people agree that I made the right decision for me. It might not be right for everyone. I don't tell anyone that they should run out and get surgery. If asked about my experience I gladly talk about it, but I don't encourage anyone to have surgery. I tell them to research and make the most informed decision they can.
I had to learn to shut those conversations down in a polite way. It's sort of a debate-team type of thing. But it really isn't open for discussion. When you say it in a matter of fact way that I have done my research, my doctors agree, and it is the right decision for me, maybe not for you, but thank you--then change the subject...there really is no reply for it.

5 1/2 years out. No problems. At goal for about 3 years or so.

Have you checked your policy? Give them a call yourself to be certain it is covered. Or look up your plan brochure online.

It might also be the tubing. I am not sure, but I think I can feel where mine comes out and goes to the port.

Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. I do a lot of "deconstruction" of things with bread and tortillas. I use them as a handle and tear away to get to the filling. I can usually consume one piece of bread. But if I take a bite that is too big, it will get stuck at my new fill level of a few weeks ago.
My best bet now is to eat with a knife and fork to make the bites even smaller.

The worst for me was in the front row of the jury box in a high profile double murder trial. Ugh. Nearly had to ask the judge to stop, but we got a break and I was able to dash out!
The slime isn't dangerous, retching can be.

The worst for me was in the front row of the jury box in a high profile double murder trial. Ugh. Nearly had to ask the judge to stop, but we got a break and I was able to dash out!
The slime isn't dangerous, retching can be.

Why can you not go out? Choose band friendly foods. Happy birthday!!!

Sliming while driving is the worst. Happened a couple of weeks back while sitting in traffic. I feel bad for all the people that had to witness that but I couldn't hold it back any longer.

I beleve there is some bias against obese people. I think there is a feeling of "you did this to yourself, you deal with the issues you created." An obese person with a cane.... gee, their weight MUST have caused the issue. A normal weight person on a cane... it could have been a sports injury, not your fault, here let me help you!

Way to go! I've done several cruises since being banded. Haven't gained during any of them, including the one I took 6 weeks post-op before my first fill. I have, however, been stuck on a ship. I tried to eat Breakfast, something I don't normally do. That was a BAD idea. After I decided to follow my regular patterns, I was fine.
My best advice is to know where the nearest bathroom is while dining, just in case. That helps to ensure you won't get stuck!
Like you, I follow my band and enjoy myself.

I beleve there is some bias against obese people. I think there is a feeling of "you did this to yourself, you deal with the issues you created." An obese person with a cane.... gee, their weight MUST have caused the issue. A normal weight person on a cane... it could have been a sports injury, not your fault, here let me help you!