ReneBean

Sorry about the initial hiccup... I have to tell you that while I felt just "ok" about the folks at AIGB - the people at the actual Surgery Center are incredible. All AIGB really does is get the package together to submit to your insurance - then you don't have much contact with them unless you use the Aftercare program. My doc wants me to go - since he thinks I might benefit from more constant attention and accountability. Apparently, he thinks losing just under 3 pounds a month is less than optimal... *sigh* Maybe he's right. I will let you know. Oh - and don't count on much help from AIGB if your initial request for precertification is denied... I pretty much had to fight the insurance battle on my own. But it was well worth it. My surgery went off without a hitch and the people were sooooo nice. :]

Well An exclusion is usually placed by your company - they do it to get lower insurance premiums - so you really need to get with your HR dept to figure this out. It may be that they added the exclusion to the policy in January - and you missed getting approved by a few weeks. Check with HR. See when the exclusion was placed. If it's new - you might be able to fight based on the fact that you started all the pre-op testing prior to the deadline. But don't hold your breath... Really, the only ones who can overcome an exclusion are the ones who pay the premiums... Good Luck!

Hi Vickie, Welcome to LBT! The good news is, you probably won't experience any worse side effects than you have from the GBP. Hugs and good luck!

I have had a few sips of carbonated drinks - but it usually causes me some discomfort from the gas afterwards - so I don't do it very often. It just isn't worth the pain.

Congrats on the new Baby Corrinne. Welcome back. We'll be here if you need a hug... or a good swift kick. :]

I can truly say that having sex before marriage was the best and smartest thing I ever did. I was all torn up because my BF of three yrs had thrown me over for a skinny 19 yr old blonde....I was generally hating men and talking about this with my friends at the Hotdog stand on Campus at the U of O. My friend, the lady who owned the hot dog cart, introduced me to this big scary looking guy. Clearly, this guy had had some interesting experiences in life and he was very different from anyone I would have been around, approached, or maybe even talked to, if I had not been introduced to him by my friend. After a few hours of conversation, I was fascinated by him. He was wild - he was "something completely different". I met him at the hot dog stand on another day and we talked some more. We had an actual date... I had already determined that he would make the perfect Post Break-up fling. I was going to have mindless, meaningless sex with this fascinating man and forget that there was a world of skinny blondes out there waiting to steal my next BF. So, I took him home one afternoon to meet my cat. We had wildly fantastic sex, repeatedly. The man never left. After 9 months, we got married and have been enjoying "something completely different" for the last 17 yrs. So, for ME - pre-marital sex entirely led to marriage. In looking for a wild fling, I found a life partner and a great friend.

It is an individual journey - and something that is hard to remember when you see that So-and-so lost 60 lbs in the first 90 days... It's great for So-and-so but it makes it hard when you have only lost 35 lbs in a whole year.... It sounds like you are doing most of the right things. If your calorie counts are that low, you might try taking in just a little bit MORE every once in a while. A rut is a bad thing. Your body adjusts pretty quickly to the amount of calories you give it. Change it up. Keep your body guessing. Another thing to do is drink more Water, and get more sleep. I am a horrid offender on not getting enough sleep - but that is when your body does most of it's self-repair and maintenance. It seems like when I get enough sleep, I lose weight. I don't know exactly how it works - but it does. 20 lbs in 23 weeks is only a little bit less than 1 lb per week. Considering you probably had at least 4 weeks with no fill, you have done ok. Remember 1-2 pounds per week is all you can reasonably expect. Good luck!

Hey Jon How goes the battle? I had my one yr check-up today. I have not exactly set the world on fire with my weightloss thus far - so I am in with you on the re-dedicating myself to the Banded Life. My focus right now is exercise... The more, the better. We can win this fight together. Don't hide if you slide... cause you just slide farther if nobody grabs your hand. Come here MORE when you are discouraged. It helps. Hugs!! Irene

You should probably run this question past your band surgeon. He will have a better idea of how the drug will affect you. Hope you get to take some meds that work. Hugs!

Hey Y'All! My doc's appt wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. First off, my official weight is now 296 - only one pound over my Post Illness weight. Yee Haw! (I am not changing my siggy for 1 lb) Second, Aside from the fact that my doc urged me to take part in the Aftercare program offered by AIGB, he was pretty nice. He hardly scolded me at all. I guess I will have to see if I can fit that Aftercare thing into my schedule. I know having regular visits with someone might help me stay on track, better. Of course - I will be in NY next week, so I can't schedule my visit until after that. I just tried to call - but their computer is down for a bit, so I have to call back to schedule that first appt. Darcy - Yep. You're certifiable. I did the gym thing last night, also - but our weather is dramatically improved down Texas way... :] Chris - I know exactly how you feel. I hate that "transitional" body. Everything is floppy from weightloss, nothing fits quite right, my face even seems to droop. It isn't good. Some days I look in the mirror and see my face as it was 15 yrs ago - sometimes I look and just feel like a horrid blob. I can only hope it will get better with further loss. Hugs!! You look great! Kat - very good idea to have an officer present at every meeting. That guy sounds pretty mean. And how gratifying that he is tripping himself at every turn. If you ever DO have to go to court - it will be a pretty easy win for you. But what a PITA. Why can't people just do what they are supposed to do?!? *sigh* Betty - HI! Hope your day at work isn't too horrid. That reminds me... Time to buy new lottery tickets! :] Eileenie - At least you were able to stop long enough to say hello properly. Not that your Boo's aren't cute - but we miss you. :] Well, since my appointment wasn't as painful as I had thought it would be, I am in a pretty ok mood... now if only it wasn't so *&%$#%^* slow around here... I could stop worrying so much about being laid off. I hope everybody is having a great day! Hugs & Love

They make some clear liquid Protein drinks, too. Protein would certainly help the situation. If you can find it at your local Vitamin shop - IDS makes something called "New Whey" that comes in a little test-tube looking thing. They come in 25 gram and 42 gram sizes. They aren't fabulous to drink straight - but if you pour them into a liter bottle and add Water and Equal - they are palatable and they help keep you from being tired. I strongly recommend the Orange flavor (only). (Don't use splenda in this - the protein bonds with it and creates these weird floaty threads...) If you are really weak and tired, grab an Atkins shake or something like that - they have Vitamins, low carbs and protein. I used the Atkins shakes when I couldn't stand the broth for another minute. Good Luck!

So, did you eat salty foods yesterday? The only way to gain four pounds overnight is to retain Water, or to be constipated. A full intestinal tract weighs a lot. Water spread throughout your entire body weighs a lot. Both will disappear pretty fast once you get back to your normal routine. Drinking lots of water will help either condition. :]

Walking is recommended... I am sorry. I was at least able to sit on the couch with pillows behind my back. I just couldn't lie down for a couple of days - and then I couldn't lie flat for a few more. The good news is - this is as bad as it gets. :] Take your Gas meds. Walk. I wish I could give you some great pearls of wisdom - but that's all I know. Hugs!

Congrats!! We will all be thinking good thoughts for an easy surgery and a speedy recovery!! Hugs!

Good Evening... Figured I would check in again before I head out of here toward the hacienda. Mandy & Kat - thanks for the info on the Mexican Train Dominoes. Mandy - I always knew you were smart. "Losing" the batteries. Fab! Kat - perhaps the batteries from your game will be "lost" too... Darcy - Hugs! I would so be going postal in the auto dealership by now. Get the vision of Irene with her Camo bandana wrapped around her head with a big old machine gun taking out the whole place the next time you have to go there. Maybe it will make you laugh. :bandit Betty - I haven't done the Prison Break thing - I have a hard enough time keeping up with 24 and Psych and Monk... and of course the endless parade of Law and Order spin-offs and CSI's. :] Maybe someday I will grab Prison Break on DVD and start from the begining. Well, I am outta here. I will let you know the true number tomorrow - but if it goes up (and it prolly will) I haven't decided whether to change my siggy line. I am so mad that I haven't gotten my &^%& together and lost those last 5 lbs... Grrrrr. I guess I had better get to the gym tonight and slog another couple of miles. Night!

Myra I find that while I am eating less - I tend to eat lots of sauce and cream and cheesy stuff. I need to knock it off an "be good" but DANG - if I had the willpower for that, I wouldn't need the band. For all that I haven't set the world on fire with my terrific weightloss success, I am really pretty ok with it. So, I only lost 2 pounds a month. If I continue to lose 2 lbs a month for the next 2-3 yrs, I will be a happy camper. I am also going to purchase an elliptical machine. I know the only reason I have lost the weight that I have is due to the sporadic exercise that I have done. If I did more of the "E" thing, I would probably lose another pound a month. Which would be ok, too. Hugs! I will let you know if Doc Fox chews me up one side and down the other. :]

Yep - personally, I think those 2-3 weeks after the swelling goes down and before you get your fill are the hardest ones. You feel great - but the band isn't doing anything. It is particulary bad with the Vanguard band. The dang thing is so huge - it's just like you have no band at all... So that is why you are starving. You probably won't hurt yourself - but be sure to practise chewing everything a zillion times. So long as nothing is getting stuck, you will probably be fine. Hugs and hang tough. It gets a little better with every fill.

Well - I had that problem, sort of. I thought I had restriction, but I didn't really. It's a fine line... Think of the sand thru the hourglass. The middle is the band - and the smaller the hole, the longer it takes for the sand to slide thru. Now, you forgetting to chew is a completely separate issue from how long it takes for the food to slide through to your stomach. (that hungry beast who always wants more...). I guess if you are truly hungry only a couple of hours after eating, then you are probably close - but no cigar - on the restriction, thing. I have been thinking about making an appt with a mental health professional - since I know I have some self-sabotage issues. I am to the point now where I don't get truly hungry very often - but I can't quite seem to make myself stop eating when I stop being hungry. *sigh* Aside from professional help, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe in your darkest corners, you are afraid to be thin. Maybe you just need another fill and some chewing practice. I hope you figure it out. I'll let you know if angels descend and give me the answers to the universe. :]

Will power is not really an issue... In fact - you might want to eat more - but you won't be able to once you have good restriction. For me, I find that I just don't think about food much. If I am watching TV or playing a computer game, I tend to take a few bites - cease being hungry and forget about my food... Of course, that can be dangerous if you forget to Chew - but I have been lucky so far. Good Luck - and hope you get to the Sweet Spot, soon.

Ah Leener - so sorry. I kinda feel your pain. Having not much discipline myself, I have only lost about 30 lbs - and I am going to hear about it from my doc tomorrow when I go in for my annual check-up. I have to say that not having any restriction for 9 mos was really difficult for me - It took a long time to get that VG band tight enough to do any good. The only thing I can tell you is the same stuff you already know: 1) don't shop hungry 2) don't buy junk If it isn't there, you can't eat it... right? If you are really concerned about damage to the esophagus, get an endo and have somebody check it for you. I know that with little or no restriction, there just isn't that much danger of damage... Have you had lots of PB's?? Or are you just eating everything that isn't nailed down? Sometimes just a little bit more restriction can make all the difference. Hope that fill puts you where you need to be. Hugs!!

Doesn't it seem like your whole body clenches up when you get stressed? I guess it makes sense that your band would be tighter, too. Stress, a fever, and flying. I know from experience that I get tight during all of those experiences.

Now, I did like the carb solutions - and I like the six-star too. Nice and easily available at Walmart. I think it's all a matter of taste - only you can decide which ones you like. I have recently been using a liquid Protein from IDS called "New Whey". The most recent version has 42 grams of protein in 3 oz of liquid. It's pretty thick - I really don't like the texture - but when you cut it with Water, and a couple of packets of sweetener, it is ok. I throw in a bottle of propel and make myself a protein punch for breakfast. Low carb, 176 calories, 42 grams of protein. I had to get the liquid stuff on line. There is an older version with 25 grams of protein that you can find in the Vitamin stores - but most of them don't have the 42 gram one, yet. Just google New Whey, IDS and some sites will pop up. :]

Happy Monday!!! I had a lovely football-free day, yesterday. I tried not to eat like a madwoman - and I think I succeeded somewhat... but I still am trying to do liquids for the rest of the day, today. Tomorrow is my big annual check-up, where I will undoubtedly be scolded by my doc for making less than stellar food choices. I will be LUCKY even the doc's scale shows under 300 - since it consistently weighs about 4 lbs heavier than mine. Wish me luck! Cass - it was the Carbonation that got you. It is EVIL stuff after banding. You were bloated - it was gas from the *&^%& carbonation. Hugs! and lay off the soda mixers... :] Sherry - Eeeewe! Fish Poop! ACK! I'll take the futon junk any day! Hope you are more peaceful today. :] Chris - How cute are you!?!? That's a great picture. No nose issues, that I can see. :] How was the football extravaganza? Mandy - Sorry about the game... I was sort of rooting for the Bears, too - although I didn't watch the game or anything drastic like that. :] I just hoped they would win the same way they did when I was 21. Glad the sobriety officer was cute. I guess I am getting too old.... everytime I get stopped, the officer looks young enought to be my kid! *sigh* Kat - you have been so busy! Glad you made it home safe after all that wild weather. That guy who ran over your fence needs to be horse-whipped... giving a false name sounds like some sort of fraud to me... and not showing up after he was caught - now that's just stupid. What a jerk. So, am I like the last person on earth who has no idea what "Mexican Train Dominoes" are? Seriously - I have never heard of the game, then suddenly twice in one day I hear about it. Do tell. Darcy - I'm Tard, too. My houseboy elected to sleep in this morning, so I am functioning on a Caffeine-Free basis. It isn't pretty, people. Eileenie - they moved my trip for February. I will be there next week. It may be just me and one other gal, so we may have a third for lunch... but if Wanda comes with, we can come to you and go someplace closeby. Unless, of course, Boss man is gone.... :] Mary - so glad Cristian is feeling better. Those antibiotics seem to work miracles, don't they? Hope things even out for you a little bit, now. Hugs! Well - I have to get back to the old grind. Short lunch today. I am trying to make up for the time I will miss at my doc's appt tomorrow. Hugs and Love to all!

Hey All Saturday, Blessed Saturday! Friday my day was hectic enough that I never got to take a lunch... After work I went to the gym (first 2 miles for February!!) and then spent some quality time with my most beloved. Today, I had a hot date with a couple of co-workers to craft. They scrapped, I beaded. It was great fun. A crafty time was had by all. So, here I am... finally checking in with y'all. Betty - You all ready for the Big Game? I never watch that football stuff, myself... but I might tune in to see some of the commercials! Mary - Poor Christian! Hope he starts to feel better, soon! Eileenie - that recipe sounds great - like a baked omelett, sort of. Mmmm. Hugs!! You rest up, now... Cindy - Gosh - look at that signature line... only 3 pounds to Onderland! Go, Cindy, Go!!! While a sample of sausage might not be the standard banner of romance, I am sure your DH will be touched that you went to the trouble. Gifts made with true love in your heart are always romantic. Ooo - and you have a hot date with your hubby!! Hope you guys are having a great time! Mandy - mmmmm. Cheeseburger con queso sounds like a winner. meat & cheese? Oh, yeah, Baby! My DH has never seen the fill process. The Surgery Center isn't set up like that. Hope the fill get's you to the sweet spot. :] Darcy - I feel you on the food, thing. I have been having LOTS of bad days with food... It's very sad. But at least I am not gaining. Just not losing a darned pound. Maybe I will do liquids for a couple of days before my annual checkup! :0 Hope your dreadmill holds up... Sherry - So glad you are feeling better! Hope that calm feeling lasts for you, too. Hugs! Diane - yeah, I am a night owl. It's nice that I get to work pretty late hours at my job - 9:30 to 6:30. I was on my way to bed when I posted, though. :] Anne - So, can you read a book or something during the 2 day hospital orientation? Yikes! I would have a hard time staying awake during a training that I had already had - especially if it is less than thrilling the first time thru... :] Well - DH is giving me THAT look - so I guess we will be turning in early tonight... TTL! xo

Evening! The fickle wireless signal is strong enough to play tonight! Wahoo! Cindy - Did you go out to Jason's? The snow didn't stick down Allen way.... Darcy - alas - I did not add any miles for February, yet, either... I am enjoying another night of slugging out. It's just too cold to go outside! Betty - I am huddled under a blanket up here... BBBBRRRRRRRRRR. Sherry - What are we going to do about your PCP? Sheesh! Oh well. Congrats on the BP meds. Hope you can drop them all together! Cass - Happy Birthday!! I used to have the Superbowl Birthday when they had it at the end of January. The last time the Bears went to the Superbowl was on my 21st Birthday. Mandy - Good Luck with your fill. Don't you fret about your age. You are going to be thinner than I was when I turned 30... :] Well - it's pumpkin time for me, too. Hugs and Love! Irene