coolcrystal

Woohoooo!!! gratz! I hope mine goes this smoothly.... :smile:

I"m not banded yet and I get this really bad about three times a year and it lasts 2-3 days. I found that Phazyme works better for me than gasx though. I soak in the tub to relieve the pain. The pain is so bad that you can barely walk... the first attack I ever had was about 6 years ago at work... I could barely drive and was balling my eyes out.. my mom told me it was a severe case of gas.... I had never felt that before.. But, I can always tell when it's coming on... good luck getting rid of it (if that's what it is).. :smile:

Oddly, I just read about this on IMDB.com the other day when I was researching Erroll Flynn... Here is what it said:"The phrase "In like Flynn," stems from his 1942 trial for statutory rape" Apparently Mr. Flynn was quite a tramp and was accused of rape a few times but always got off... he would even poke fun of it and wanted to title his book "In like Me", but picked a different title.

Valvinnek - I had my pre-op which consisted of discussing everything and signing paperwork, then I went to my PCP to do all my bloodwork and EKG and everything was normal.. I haven't even discussed the payment yet. I think I have to pay 1,000 for my insurance. Well, I can't pay over 1,000. that's the max amount... So, I have that in savings waiting to spend it.. I wonder if I should already go pay it. Ugg, I'm suppose to be on my "monthly cycle" during this surgery.. NOT FUN. Minock - that's so cool that we all have the same date!! We should all three come on and post as soon as the surgery is over.. I hope we all do well! That sucks you have to do the Optifast.. if you feel the need to cheat, just eat a piece of grilled chicken or can of tuna.. Since there are no carbs in those. I'm not saying TO cheat, but my doctor said that he stopped the liquid diet because people always cheated and does the SB now.. so, in case you are tempted to, eat one of those things and it will help at least. Luluc - that makes TOTAL sense now that I think about it.. if you are losing and working out a lot, it would probably get in the way.. My shorter haircut makes my face look thinner! I love it.

Me either girl! I notice most bandsters chop off all their hair around 4-5 months out, which is probably because their hair thins out some, so I just cut mine short last week anyway.. lol. my hair is SUPER thin... UGG.

Thanks for telling us your feelings.. it was nice reading that and I fear that might be me.. I go back and forth now.. though, I know I can't lose this weight on my own; I've tried too many things.. but, I worry about other things like having a foreign object in my body and wondering how it will affect my liver... and stuff like that... Everytime I get put under, right before I go out and they are giving me that first injection that makes me loopy, I suddenly turn into some comedian and start cracking everybody up.. I tell jokes and say things that usually has the anestesioligist laughing his butt off... at my last surgery when I had to have that thing put up in my bladder so I could pee.. what's that called... dangit, I forget,, anyway, as the lady was wheeling me in there I was like "are you the lucky person who gets to do that to me?" and she was like, "yes" and I said, "boy do I feel bad for you".. I mean, ICK.. I would hate that job.

Hummm, I will try that! what grosses me out about fish is the "fishy" taste.. Like nasty lake Water almost. Tuna doesn't have that taste as bad as other fishes do, but if Tilapia doesn't have that taste, I might try it. Thanks for the suggestion! Luckily I don't have to do the liquid diet. My doctor only requires the SouthBeach diet 7-10 days before surgery. He says it does the same thing for you that the liquid diet does. I haven't started it yet, but I've just been more cautious of what I've been eating for the last two weeks and have lost 4 pounds... though I did just have my last biscuit and gravy and boy was it good!! LOL.. god, I'm going to miss those biscuits and gravy.

Wow, that sucks for me, but that is awesome for all you others who just started the process or already have your 3 months met. Congrats to you all with the new changes!! Good for Aetna for stepping up and caring about their patients enough to make this a little easier for everyone... I hope you all get approved soon!

Oh man Brandy, that would have sucked.. my test was 300 multiple choice on a computer and 400 on a scantron!! the scantron is what killed me.. having to bauble in those circles and hunched over... I was asked odd questions too like: do you believe in God and the devil, do you and your spouse have great sex, are you scared of fire and stuff like that. Several religious questions which were very offensive I thought.. By the end, I was completely drained and somewhat scarred from the whole event. lol

Oh, I know all about wanting to put the dates up. LOL. I couldn't wait to put up my psych eval and all that stuff. It makes it feel more real and more exciting! Like "yes, I'm really getting this done!!" I'll be thinking more of you having to do your psych tests (if you have to take them.) That was a draining 4 hours for me that I wish I could forget. LOL.. Best of luck!

Wow, that's nice!! I submitted in January and had to have the 5 years, and it took me a week to get those past records because they wouldn't call me back and then they had to go to "storage" to get my old documents and finally faxed to my insurance company.. anyway, Aetna POS approved me in 8 days, so it can happen. I also work with Verizon, so there was a special department specifically for Verizon employees. Since my company is into health big time (we even have a fitness center at my job) I had a pretty strong feeling they would approve it.. Plus, I met all the requirements bigtime... So, don't give up trying folks!! Don't give up the fight!!

COngrats!!!! I hope all goes well for ya sugar!!

Hey there, I live in the D/FW area as well. As for a doctor.. everybody is going to say their doctor is the best, so that's a hard question to answer. There are MANY wonderful doctors in the DFW area... just about all the doctors working for TRUE RESULTS are pretty awesome.. Dr's Marsden, Fox, Smith, Jayseelan and the list goes on... I'm using Dr. Fox simply because my BFF went through him and loved him and has lost over 100 pounds so far.. but, I have a friend who used Dr. Jayseelan(sp) and liked him just the same, and I've heard many wonderful things about Dr. Marsden and many others as well. Just do your research and see what doctors have to offer you especially if you are paying out of your own pocket. Dr. Fox charges 15,000 and that covers everything, including fills for a year and all doctor visits for a year. It covers anestesia, etc as well... that's not a bad deal.. I know other doctors have this same offer and many might even be cheaper... Do you have any friends in the D/FW area that have been banded that can give you a recommendation? If I were you I would try to find a package deal, because if you have to get several fills the first year (as one of my friends has needed 8 fills already), that could save you a lot of money.

Yeah, I hope I don't do that.. My banded friend told me last night that when she drinks water with her food she doesn't get stuck as much and she can eat more.. granted she's lost 100 pounds, but I hope I don't think I can just drink water with my food and have the ability to eat more, ya know? Sometimes having that knowledge can cause one to sabotage themselves... I just hope I can be strong. :mad:

See, I've heard some people say that taking your vitamins and protein isn't it, that it's just the anestesia.. that it causes some people to lose their hair... and some say it's the stress of not eating.. and some say vitamins and protein, but when I KNOW for a fact there are people who take their vitamins and eat tons of protein and still lose a lot of hair.. it makes me think it's not the vitamins and protein but one of the other things.. oh well.. I'll just have to wear hats. lol.

Yeah, you're right.. but, my biggest worry is not being able to eat chicken. I can't stand fish, except tuna and I don't eat red meat, as my husband has gout and can't eat that either. So, that pretty much just leaves chicken.. if I can't eat that, I don't know what I would do.. ya know? Also, my hair is already thin, I can't imagine losing more of it.. so, those are my two bigger worries... the keloid scars and all that other stuff I don't really care about as much... I can deal with the pain and I can deal with little things.. but when it comes to actually getting my nutrients from the main meat I'll be eating and losing the hair.. well, that's a big deal to me.

As my banding day approaches I wonder: 1. Will I lose hair or will I not lose hair 2. Will I be one of those that can still eat rice (aka sushi) or not 3. Will I PB and slime all the time, or not 4. Will I be succesful with this band, or get it removed in a year if it just doesn't work for me 5. Will I be one of those that can eat lettuce or one that can't 6. Will I have to cut chicken completely out of my diet like some do, or can I still eat my favorite meat 7. Will my scars keloid like some do, or heal up nicely 8. Will I have this huge panus hanging down to my knee caps, or will I be one of the lucky few who has elastic skin. 9. Will my port area get infected like some, or heal up nicely? 10. Will I be able to sleep on my tummy if I want to, or will the port drive me nuts. 11. Will I get worse acid reflux than I already have now? 12. Will I lose my boobs??? ugggg And the questions go on. All of these questions come to mind and it's so scary.... It's like we are playing black jack or some other weird dice game and nobody is guaranteed anything... and it's all just a big mystery until you are done and go through it.. I hate mystery's... I hate not knowing... Everybody is different and there is no telling until we actually go through with it.. The not knowing is steadily making me go crazy...

I never had a physical either and I got approved; but, I have Aetna and they required 6 months of visits with my doctor regarding "dieting".. but, my doctor never really put me on anything; I just went in and we chit chatted and she knew what to put down. I had tried other diets in the past like WW and Atkins and even pills.. I did have to put all that down, but I didn't have to have proof of it or anything. Some insurances don't require this and some only require three months... Mine also required proof of being over 40 BMI for 5 years, which was quite easy. I started my whole process in 7/07 and I'm getting banded in 15 days. Good luck!

Blund - when I asked my doctor about it he made a fast comment and said, "if you take your protein and vitamins you won't have hair loss; its the people who don't do this that have it"... which I believe is a complete lie because I know people on here who have done all that and still had hairloss. So yeah, the docs aren't telling us everything.

Please let us know how it went!!! Congrats!

Oh, I knew right away when those two football players looked at each with that expression that the tables were going to be turned on her. She didn't need to stay in any longer anyway. She had already lost a good amount and didn't need it as much as the other guys did...

Thanks Jack! you rock!! Oh, did you know anything about the Flinstones calcium stuff?

I'm going on a cruise in April too!! with all the other cruises I've been on, there was always yummy soups, and lots of seafood. I think we'll be fine. But, it will suck not eating those wonderful rolls. Man, I'm going to totally miss that.. and be sad. It will be my first banded cruise and I will have to deal with figuring out how to enjoy it when it's not being spent thinking about dinner.

Wow, I've never heard of it costing that much.. I thought it was like 300 bucks for fluro... my insurance will pay for mine when I get mine put in later this month.. I just have to pay the 15 dollar copay, but I still think it's like 150 for regular fills and 265 or 300 for fluro.. I could be wrong though.

I'm curious, I take Flinstones , the one that has the calcium in it. Is that a good calcium? I've been taking these for two months and my hair has grown 4 inches and my nails have changed... it's pretty amazing. People make fun of me for taking the Flinstones, but they are yummy and comparing these to centrum and others, they have the same amount in them. I also saw this liquid "coral" calcium. Anybody know about this stuff?