BratKat

I have flown to Qatar, Japan, and Australia in the 16 months since I've had my band. The first trip was just 3 months after. I had no problems with any of my trips. I'm just careful about what I eat, pack a few of my own snacks-Protein bars that go down okay in case the food on the plane is something I can't eat. I avoid the bread on the plane and drink plenty of Water. The only thing special I did was take a needle from my surgeon and my lap-band card with me to Japan in case I had any complications and needed an emergency unfill for some reason. Lap-band is done in the Qatar and Australia so I knew I wouldn't have any problems showing up in a hospital there but Japan is a whole 'nother story!

I always struggle with snacking, especially since I'm a night owl. I keep a bag of small apples in the fridge just for that. It satisfies my desire for something sweet, and it lasts a long time because I have to chew, chew, chew. It's low in calories and it helps me get in enough fiber, something I've struggled with since being banded.

I was banded Nov 2007 and PCS'd last summer....to Yuma, AZ....where there are no bariatric surgeons at all. I was living in my hometown while DH was on a one year unaccompanied tour. So it didn't make a difference for me. I still haven't been able to get a surgeon in Phoenix (3hrs away) to commit to me as a patient but I see my LB surgeon when I go "home" to visit my family. Good luck though.

I'd be surprised if you're not in a smaller size than 10/12 when you get to your goal if you're built anything like me. I'm 5'4" and at 160. I've got a small waist too and I'm wearing 12s and 10s. I was in 16s when I was around 185. My goal is to be a size 8; I think I'll get there around 145. I bet you'll reach 10/12 sooner than you think!

I need a good surgeon for continuing care/fills in either San Diego or Phoenix. I had my surgery on 11-1-07 and I am moving from Tampa to Yuma, AZ in a few weeks. I'm almost at goal but I may need one more fill and I prefer not to do Fill Centers. I'll still need follow-up care during the next few years while I'm in Yuma to make sure everything's okay with my band as well. Anyone have any recommendations?

Tall skinny decaf cinnamon dolce latte at 130 degrees or Tall skinny decaf iced latte--I don't like SF syrups when it's cold. Either way it's only 90 calories and I justify it by getting in 12 oz of milk, which is about the only way I can drink the stuff.

POS (point of service) only applies if you are Prime but go outside of the network/without referral to get care anyway. It is 50%, I believe. If you switch to Prime, your co-pay is 20%. There is no such thing as POS with Standard. Certain ranks (E6 and above, I think) have to wait a year to switch back to Prime if you go to Standard. I don't have any experience with the Lapband area of Tricare as I was self pay but I am in the middle of the rest of switching back and forth between the two coverages otherwise.

You could also be low on sodium. Have you tried a cup of broth?

Mine hang so bad that without a bra on I can only see two of my five incisions. They've always been like that though, even when I was fairly thin. I don't wear a bra at home. I did wear a sports bra (rather than my underwire) for the first two weeks after surgery. Then I wore my regular bra but at a looser setting because it was putting pressure on one of the incisions. Now I'm back to wearing it the regular way almost four weeks post surgery.