Chris61

There is a person in the Yahoo Groups that lives over in the North Windham a suburb of Willimantic that is looking for a support group that would be close to Hartford, Ct. She see Dr. Amy Barba, but because of current conditions she is unable to get to the doctor and have here band checked for a leak and to get it fixed and a fill. I do not have many details at this time. I had told here about this site and she did not know about it. I gave here the information and told here I would post here and see if any one could help and if there was a support group in Hartford. If anyone can help please let me know and I will forward it on to here. Thanks Chris

There is a person in the Yahoo Groups that lives over in the North Windham a suburb of Willimantic that is looking for a support group that would be close to Hartford, Ct. She see Dr. Amy Barba, but because of current conditions she is unable to get to the doctor and have here band checked for a leak and to get it fixed and a fill. I do not have many details at this time. I had told here about this site and she did not know about it. I gave here the information and told here I would post here and see if any one could help and if there was a support group in Hartford. If anyone can help please let me know and I will forward it on to here. Thanks Chris

Glad to see that everyone is doing well in regards to CPAP. Special K have you talked to them about adjusting the setting since you have been banded? One of the things I found was that setting was to high for me and need to be adjusted. I talked to the doctor about it and with the readings from my card we were able to take it down to the lowest setting. One year after being banded I had another sleep study done and I was well below the numbers for action. The doctor said I did not need to use it unless I need to and the same with the herbest retainer. I still use it everyonce in a while as it seems to help/refresh things. Also I used to live in Columbus and went to school at CTI. Chris

You know you are banded when you walk into a place to purchase some food or Snacks, and you look and walk away and not buy a thing. You know your banded when people who know you before and then they see the new you later and ask what you have done and all you tell them is that you are eating less and doing excerise, and see the look on there face. When you put on clothes you just bought and they do not fit anymore. Chris

Every doctor is differant. The first check up that I had was to make sure that I was not having any problems with infections, eating etc. The doctor then explained in detail about the next few weeks in regards to eating foods etc. He then said that it would be about 6 weeks before I would have a first fill. When are you having surgery? Chris

If you go to Yahoo groups there is a couple of groups and I have learned a lot from these groups as well. They have a lot of people asking questions. Iam 18 months out and feel I need a fill and went to the doctor and we talked about all the issues etc. and he said that he could do a fill if I wanted or wait to see how it goes. He felt that I was at the maxium in regards to fill size. He said if he put more in I might be to tight and would need a unfill. So I said will wait and see how Iam in Sept. at 2 years being banded. The way I looked at this and still do is that I take it one step at a time. Iam very pleased and glad that I did it. My wife and sister-in-law feel the same way even though they have not lost the amount that I have. They would do it again. I think that you are doing great. Keep up the good work. Chris

I was banded on 9/19/07 My high was 250 in June 07 and now at 175. Been there for a few months now. Chris

OMG, I sure forgot that you were known as Ebnoy Rose. I guess we need to make sure that everyone remebers our nicknames instead of real names. Iam just having a midlife moment. Chris

My wife, sister-in-law and I were banded by him in Sept. of 07. He is very good and takes time with all his patients. He is even changing the way he does his fills. He used to do them at the hosp. under x-ray. I understand he is now doing them in the office. I see him next Monday and hoping to get another fill. There are several people on this site that goes to Dr. Minkin. Check under the Missouri section and look under the St. Louis section. As everyone else has said any questtions just ask away. Chris

Glad to here that she is doing well so far with here 2nd rebirth on new good looks. SHe has really worked on getting this all done. Prayers are being said for here. We sure do miss here not being on-line. Chris

Well it was warm and not windy today, so bike riding was nice in Ct. Rode about 5 miles today and had not problems. Hope everyone is doing well and Congradulations to OH Juli on getting her MBA and good luck on here up coming plastic surgery. Looks like she will be missing in action this summer. Chris

We missed seeing you on Wednesday night Ebony Rose. Hope that everything is well. It sure was nice today in New Haven, Went bike ridding and did real well. I go for a fill in two weeks and will also ask about the skin problem and being cold this winter as well. We did talk about this some what at the meeting on Wed. Chris

I would go back to your doctor and have him contact the band company and see about getting it replaced. Your companies new insurance shuld cover any problems since they changed it. Again you will need to check but should be covered. What part of Ct are you in? Iam in New Haven and if you have any questions just ask. Plus there are others in here that also get together in the Ct. Area. Chris Chris

Keep in mind you can use your flex spending account, tax it off on your taxes after you meet the 7.5% agi of your income. I would also talk to all the doctors and the hospital and see what they will allow. Chris

I would talk with your Human Resources and ask them to have the broker contact UHC and find out what the problem is. We had some problems with UHC at first and it was over how one doctor did the letter. So we went to my wife OBGYN and he did the same letter and we faxed it in and called and waited on the phone and got it approved within 15 minutes. I can forward you a copy of the letter that we used. Also I would send it to the in writting along with a copy of everything to the insurance commison in your state and also in the state of your companies head off. I had problems with a claim and so when I sent the appeal to the company I aslo put it in the letter and with in a short time it was paid for in full. It just takes time and that is hard when you want to get banded. If you have any questions just ask. Chris

I would check with your mom's doctor and see what he would charge you since you are both having it done. He might take some off. Also I would double check your insurance policy. It was in our policy and then a couple of years went by and I looked again and found that it was taken out. It took less than 30 days to get approved. If you would like I can forward you a copy of the letter the my wife and I used to get approved. Good Luck. I used to live in Columbus back in the 80's. Chris

There has been a lot of things said here. I would suggest you take one step at a time. 1) I would review with your doctor the sleep study and ask all types of questions. 2) Talk to him about your issues that you have with using the mask and the problems that you have with wearing face masks etc. 3) Ask him/her about using a dental device, this might take care of it for you. I have had great luck with it. 4) Keep in mind the sleep apnea might be related to other things than just weight. Even though I have lost over 70 lbs and my numbers are low I still have sleep apnea but not bad. 5) Make sure you get a machine that can down load the data and take this to your doctor and review it every few weeks with him. I did this and was able to show that I was bloated with the band and was able to reduce my setting down real low and was able to justify the dental device. I hope this will help everyone else that reads this post. If you go to some of my other post you will see where I have talk about this in my exp. There is a real good book that is in part written by Dr. Gail B. Demko DDS and others about sleep apena and using the machine etc. Explains everything in real easy to understand terms. Good luck with everything and just keep asking questions. Chris

The meetings have been going well so far. Looks like the weather wil be good for the meeting on Wed. April 1, 2009. Hope everyone is well and plans on coming to the metting. Not a lot of people at the meeting but then what is a lot? I will say that there is more new people than people who have been banded at least a year or more. I have learned somethings the past few months. Chris

Dr. Minkin is at Des Pers and does an excellant job. There are many people on this site that have gone to him. My wife and I are 18 months out and doing well. If you have any questions just ask away. I would call Dr. Minkin office and ask him about it. Chris

Congradulations on getting approved and ready to be banded. It will be here before you know it. As everyone has said follow the doctors suggestions. Take your time in eating do not rush it. Take it one day at a time, and take baby steps. This is something that will not happen overnight. You are in this for the long term. It will take a few months before you notice a lot of changes. Everyone is differant in how fast the loose etc. try not to compare your self to others. DO not beat yourself up if you go bakwards a bit. We all have done it and we just have to stop and work on changing things. Again it takes time to change are lifestyle etcs. Iam still working on things even though I have been banded for over 18 months now. If you have any questions just ask away. We are all here to help you. You will do just fine. Chris

I thought I was the only one with this problem. I am glad that spring is here and it will be getting warmer. It has been a long and cold winter in CT and Missouri. I have been cold all winter. The other problem that Iam having is with my skin and how dry/itchey it is. Chris

Well looks like spring has arrived. Everyone is making plans to ride, ride, ride all spring, summer and fall. I hope that everyone is doing well. It was real cool this weekend up in CT. at least the sun was out. Hope to get biking here in the next week or so once, it warms up. Has anyone notice this year that there skin seems to be more itchey than before? I never notice it before. However with the weightloss you notice a lot more things than in the past. I have notices a lot of changes in the last 18 months, that I thought I would never see. Chris

Well Spring is finally here. I hope it starts to warm up and stay that way. Hope everyone is doing well and getting ready to be outside more than in. Iam ready to go biking along the beach. One thing I have notice this year is that my skin has been a lot dryer or more itchey since I have lost the weight. I was wondering if anyone else has noticed it as well. I do feel I am drinking enough fluids etc. Chris

Well Spring is finally here. I hope it starts to warm up and stay that way. Hope everyone is doing well and getting ready to be outside more than in. Iam ready to go biking along the beach. One thing I have notice this year is that my skin has been a lot dryer or more itchey since I have lost the weight. I was wondering if anyone else has noticed it as well. I do feel I am drinking enough fluids etc. Chris

Well Spring is finally here. I hope it starts to warm up and stay that way. Hope everyone is doing well and getting ready to be outside more than in. Iam ready to go biking along the beach. One thing I have notice this year is that my skin has been a lot dryer or more itchey since I have lost the weight. I was wondering if anyone else has noticed it as well. I do feel I am drinking enough fluids etc. Chris