GaLina

The people who really want to commit suicide to end their lives (not talking about the ones who commit suicide to hurt someone else) aren't the ones who call a hotline and announce they're going to jump, or make a big dramatic scene about it. That would give someone the oppourtinty to intervene, and they don't want that. They're the ones who slip away unnoticed, never to be heard from again. The people who make the big scene are the ones who want to be talked out of it.

I liken this to "announcements" of people leaving a board. If someone really wants to leave, why don't they just slip away? Why even announce it? Are you hoping people try to talk you out of it? The ones who really want to leave aren't the ones who post "This is my last post" because -- who cares? Why aren't you just gone already? (Maybe the answer is "there's still more attention to gather.")

Usually if someone announces they're leaving, they're not leaving. I posted this once long ago to someone else dramatically announcing they were leaving, and she posted to argue with me -- that she was indeed leaving. But umm... you're still here disagreeing with me, even though your last post was like 3 posts ago... and there you are again...

Whatever the case, if you find a resource valuable, then it's a shame you let anyone have enough power over you to make you leave.

"ignorant": lacking knowledge about a particular subject or fact.

It takes someone with a high opinion of themselves to call a person Ignorant when they don't even know the difinition.

Knowledge is a wonderful thing, but knowledge with arrogance is supidity--oops -was that a slam?

Now how does that feels!

sensitivity is not your strong point is it?

You are all very kind. I know that with all of the vomiting and such, that I also did start to find things that I could keep down that weren't always the right thing. But I still don't think I've done that badly that a pound here or there would drop.

I am feeling better now that I'm on some medication, at least emotionally. But I want so much to be healthy again, it's been so long and I thought that this was the way to go for me.

With all your prayers, and support, maybe I'll get my mind and my body back on track again. I guess it's just hard because so many people say things like, I knew that wouldn't work. Look at all the complications and trouble you went through for nothing, etc. It kind of beats you down.

Thanks for your thoughts.

I haven't been banded yet. But I understand how you feel. I only have told my oldest son and his wife, my sister, and a friend. I don't want all the negativity that some people can throw at you. I worried too about eating. You see I am what some call a night eater. I saw a doc. on tv recently talking about this and she(plus other doc.) had a book out that recognize NES as a disorder. 1st thing I thought was OMG, this is me. So I checked it out of the Library and started reading and more I read the more I recognized me. It has been a great help for me. I still catch myself eating at night but at least now I know.

It probably is not what you do,but just wanted show you that we(as a group of Lb wanting a healthier life) have our problems too and are here for you!

I have my sis to pray for me, So I will put you at the top of my Prayer list.

Please know that we are here for you.

Sallie

Hi, I just got my letter from the Maine Medical Bariatric Program and I am going to the Information session Monday. That will start my process. I have been waiting for this for 3 months:biggrin2:. So I have been dieting for that amount of time. I have only lost 4 lbs:embaressed_smile:. I am so excited that I am going to the meeting monday that I can hardly wait:biggrin:. Then it will be the wait for Meicare and Medicaid to approve me and the doctor ,hospital.:thumbup:

Sallie

Hey Sarah:)

YAH! I am so excited to be a bandster:) It still doesn't seem real! Today has been okay, I am a bit sore under my ribs and abdomen. I have no pain in my shoulder still?? I walked quite a bit today, but I'm not so sure how much it helped.. Dr. Trieu said that Gas X strips probably won't work as the gas is not in the bowels, but said I could try it... So I did, and it didn't work:( He also said that I can't use the heating pad near my incisions, which is where my gas pain is.. So I guess it's just down to walking for now! I hope tomorrow I'll feel a bit better. Still though, on a pain scale of 1-10 I'm about a 3 or 4, and that's just discomfort from the gas, and slight port pain from using my muscles (which it is sooooo hard not to!) I will be sleeping on my couch again tonight, as my bed is too tall, and I need to be sitting up to sleep right now:)

As for insurance... It was about week and a half after they recieved my psych eval that they called with the approval from "team" and insurance. I think they said it took about a 2 days to approve me?? From the approval to the first fitness appointment and nurse consult was about 2 weeks, then the following week was fitness appt number 2 and final consult with the surgeon, and then submitted for my date. Hope you got that ok, I keep reading over it to see if I make sense lol.. I'm under the influence of some pain meds tonight, so sorry if Ijust plain ol' confused you! lol.. When I can move around a bit better I will find my planner with the exact dates, and give you a better timeline.. You are almost there!! YAY! I hope things keep moving quickly for you!

:)Kerri

Hi Kerri, Glad to hear your surgery went well and that you are doing great. I haven't been on lately but have been keeping up with your post. I still haven't had my first appt. with team yet. How long did it take after your doctor sent your request to surgeon before you got your first appt.?

I know that you are busy now, but when you get a chance could you write and kinda' talk me through this. I am getting alittle antsy about my first appt.

Again glad everything went ok for you. Sallie

Ya'hooo! I finally got my ticker up and running. :embaressed_smile:

just checking to see if my weight-loss ticker is working?

Click on the forum Lap Band Surgery FAQ and References--in it, one of the Sticky's in Abbreviations and what they mean--------it will help a lot!

Kat

Hi kate, and thanks I really appreciate it. Elaine

I have seen some words such as bump:confused: in some messages and would someone explain what they mean:confused2:. I am new to this kind of computer jargon. Thanks Elaine:eek:

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The bariatric center just called to say that Dr.Trieu no longer can do surgery's on wednesdays, so they moved me up to this monday.. I am freaking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All of this sudden I feel so ill prepared.. My countdown just went from 6 days to 4... EEEEEKKKKK!!!!! Holy moly... I am going to be a st.pattys day bandster.. EEEEKKKKK!! I don't know what my issue is.. it's only 2 days earlier.. I can do this.. Well, I really need to get ready for job #2.. Wish me luck:)

Kerri

Hi Kerri, Congrats!! on your date. Boy I bet you are excited. Good luck and let us know everything when you get home. Elaine

Hi I am from Maine, also. I haven't had my ban yet and I am fairly new to this site. I will keep you in my prayers'. Hope everything goes great for you.

Hello Jennifer, I live in West Paris. I have requested that Dr.Renee Wolff do my surgery. She is in Portland and I have heard great things about her. I hope to see the staff for my work up to get my date for surgery. keep in touch. Elaine

Hey all, I have been Banded for 3 years It was done by Dr. Morand in Augusta, Maine. I went from 297 lbs. to 175 was my lowest in July and in July I had a small emergency. I was dumping Protein and I had to have a ful unfill and I went up to 220 in 6 months. I am going back to the Dr's on Friday to figure out why the past 2 fills have not worked. I'm not sure whats going on, when I had my unfill I was at 2cc in a 4cc band and now I am at 1.75cc and I think they are gonna have to do an x-ray to check out if it is in a good spot! I hope nothing is wrong cause my old insurance runs out on the 31st and I will have Aetna on April 1st...I hope they can get me a good fill before that happens. I would hate to have them have to struggle to get anything covered. Jennifer

Hi I am from Maine, also. I haven't had my ban yet and I am fairly new to this site. I will keep you in my prayers'. Hope everything goes great for you.

Hey all, I have been Banded for 3 years It was done by Dr. Morand in Augusta, Maine. I went from 297 lbs. to 175 was my lowest in July and in July I had a small emergency. I was dumping Protein and I had to have a ful unfill and I went up to 220 in 6 months. I am going back to the Dr's on Friday to figure out why the past 2 fills have not worked. I'm not sure whats going on, when I had my unfill I was at 2cc in a 4cc band and now I am at 1.75cc and I think they are gonna have to do an x-ray to check out if it is in a good spot! I hope nothing is wrong cause my old insurance runs out on the 31st and I will have Aetna on April 1st...I hope they can get me a good fill before that happens. I would hate to have them have to struggle to get anything covered. Jennifer

Hi I am from Maine, also. I haven't had my ban yet and I am fairly new to this site. I will keep you in my prayers'. Hope everything goes great for you.

Hello all - I am getting banded on March 20th - and like everyone else I had to go through a lot of pre testing. One of those tests was a sleep apnea test - (a test to determine if you stop breathing while seeping and also it determines your oxygen level) Anyway, my test results were not very good I am at 48% when the normal percentage is 95% - I will be sleeping with a machine to make me breathe better. Has anyone had a sleep apnea test and if you did how was the results?

Ginny, the same ?'s are in Post op ?'s thread. But I did have a sleep study and (2) one for just the cpap (machine to help you sleep better) I am doing so much better. The doctor that will do your surgery just wants to know if there any complication before surgery. He may require you to use your cpap for awhile until your sleep apnea is under control I don't know, I have heard that if is not to bad they do the surgery anyway. Good luck, GaLina

I had a sleep study and from what I could tell at first you did not qualify for a cpap study, I had my cpap study in the 2nd visit, it seems that is what happened to you, I guess each hospital does the study different. anyhoo,from what I read you will be getting a request from your doc. to have a cpap study. that is how I had mine done. good luck. Galina

Hi megmarie21, have you been banded yet? I haven't, but have started walking. My legs( calfs and thighs) hurt also and I tried a, I call a gel pack, you can either use them hot or cold. I just threw it in the microwave for about 2 min. and wrapped in a towel and started on my thighs and down to my calfs. you have to keep it warm by microwaving it though. my spelling is not great but hope you got the drift. I took tylenol, too. GaLina

Count me in on the cookbook!!!!!!!!!! I haven't been banned Yet but would love to contribute. Just let me know where, when, how you was the recipes sent. Thanks for idea!! GaLina

suehobart, sorry hit the wrong key before I had finished. Yes, I have been through everything that you said including the doctors response. I have dieted and lost only to not only gain it back but more than I had lost. It is very frustrating. So one nite I was channel surfing and on the TLC channel was a program about LapBand surgery. I had been reading about it started to watch (some I couldn't because it shows part of the actual surgery) but anyhoo, that is when I started my investigation. I talked to my PP and she was supportive. and I think she was relieved that I was the one that had brought up the subject. and I have gone on from there. This site is wonderfully full of support and information. Good luck! and don't hesitate to talk here. GaLina

Hi suehobart, I have recently made up mind to have the procedure. But first I checked out all info. I could find on the internet (that's how I found this site). I was so glad to have found it.

Hi, I agree with all above post. I'd like to tell you what has happened to me so far. I have been to behavioral therapy for about 2 years. Thought I could do it on my own (lose weight) with talk behavioral therapy. A big " Did not work for me". So for the last 3 years, I have meditated on Gastric by pass. I just couldn't go that route. It was way to drastic for me. then I heard about the Lap Band. So I started thinking about that. And after 6 months, I made up my mind--go for it!! I told my pp and she talked to me about it and was very supportive (I have just about every morbidity you can think of). I am 61 yrs. old and want to live and to be here for my grandchildren.

The best thing that happened for me was going on the net and finding this web site. I am still learning what site to write on.Now for more rambling, when I get excited, I start to plan (I have been disappointed before when I jump right in) anyhoo, I found this site and then I when to the site for the hospital that does this surgery in my area. Well, there are pages and pages of what to expect, what to do while waiting for your appt., everything is outlined for you.I was surprised and elated so I printed it and made a note book and started working with it. I have already called to verify what medicare and medicaid will pay and what I have to do to hurry along the process. I went back in to see my pp and ask her to help me with the schedule of things to do. and she has started that

Sorry rambling back to the topic. While watching a talk show (don't remember the one) they talked about a book about eating while others sleep. It's title is "Overcoming Night Eating". I don't know if any of you girls do that but I do and also grazing. Between the therapy, book, THIS SITE and friends and family(just my oldest son and his wife and my sister", I am on the road to trying to be prepared for the psych. eval. AND don't worry!! they(doc.) just want to make sure that you are up to dealing and MOST of all that you get the result that you are wishing and a praying for. also that you will be happy. Good luck!!! HOPE this hasn't sounded "know it all" 'cause I don't. Just wanted to share. wishes and prayers are coming your way Sallie:smile:

I've been interested in this thread because I am also a Medicare patient - kinda mid-point in my research. There are several facilities in my area (Kansas City) that are receiving their certification as Centers of Excellence, but Medicare seems to be pretty slow to get all their paperwork done and billing codes established, etc. Unfortunately, I am not always very patient with crossing the t's and dotting the i's... At any rate, I am considering going to Topeka for my surgery - about 160 miles round trip. My question for Sharon - do you have to go on your 400 mile trip for all your followup, fills, support group, etc, or can you get that done (and covered) locally? I am attending all the local COE seminars in hopes of doing all this locally with a center I am comfortable with. Headed for Topeka this weekend to discuss their program at their seminar.

Another thing I am finding -- the docs at some of the COE's do not accept the Medicare assignment. In other words, if Medicare pays $900 and the doc's charge $5000, I would owe the doc $4100. Is this what others are finding? That's out of my league, and would be for many Medicare folks I know. My supplemental ins would help, but I don't know if it would pay enough to make the doc happy. The hospital facilities are accepting the Medicare assignment so that does not seem to be the problem.

Ever hopeful,

Joann:huh2:

JoannMarie, Boy am I glad I read your post.:thumbup: I did go on the internet and checked out the hospital and it does have Medicare seal of approval but I haven't checked to see if the dr.:w00t: that I have chosen will accept Medicare. I guess I have more investigation to do.

Oh, I haven't had my appt. with the surgeon yet. Just my PP and she has sent all of the paperwork to the surgeon as of yesterday. I am also on medicaid and I call to check out if they would cover what medicare didn't and they said that they did. Hope all goes well with you and I will keep checking in to see what happens. Keep us posted, ok. I don't often reply but I do read the post. My prayers will be with you.

congrats!! I know that you must be overwhelmed with excitement. Sallie

Hi!, everyone, I am a newbee. I haven't seen the doc. yet but I was so excited about finally making up my mind, I went looking for info on the internet and found this great place. I have talked to few of you gals. But mostly

I just read. I think that Phyl you have so good that it is a blessing to read your post. I am 61 and live in Maine.

We have had over 30 inches of snow just this month. It is the first winter of

this kind in quite a few years (like 10 or 15). I am looking forward t o my first appt. and getting started. Until that happens I will

keep on reading and enjoying the encouragement that

you gals give to each other. sallie

someone HELP I can't figure out how get my ticker to work!!!sallie

sfeiner, I sent a private message thought I had sent it to this sit.

Hi sfeiner, One of mine is a MalBichon. My niece told me her dog was Maltese and would I breed Emma with hers. soo I did and her dog was malbichon. I had Emma fixed and Nolee. I love them both. I was upset at first but it turned for the best anyway. The vet said that Emma should not have any more because she was to small (she was the runt of the litter). The 2 she had almost killed. the first one died. well enough of that. we are have another snow strom tonite into tomorrow. expecting about 9 to 14 inches.I am real tired of this and want spring to come soon.