TheGh0st

Here, There I don't care. Just let me know. I'll put mine here for today. Breakfast: Protein Bar (320 Cal) Lunch: Taco Bell Hard Taco (light lettuce/extra cheese) (200) Snacks: 3 tortilla chips and one tablespoon Taco Bell Refried Beans (stopped myself from eating the rest for today at least) (50?) 4 slices of Turkey Pepperoni (20) 1 teaspoon Mashpotatos of son's plate (25?) (had to make sure they weren't hot didn't I:guess) 4 Breath Mints (20) Dinner: *haven't actually ate this yet but its chilling now 6 oz Chocolate/Peanut Butter protein pudding (300) Water: 3 - 16oz Water bottles at work nothing since home (tisk tisk I know) Total Cals: 935 EXERCISE: 22min (-201 cal) so far... I've been getting on and off for small "power" workouts ranging from 2-7 min at a time tonight. with incline at near max and speed as fast as I can go without jogging. I don't normally keep track of the calories but I started in on the treadmill yesterday and started getting a bit anal about the idea of what foods my workouts nullified. So I looked up and jotted down the calories for what I ate at work today. So far I burned enough on the treadmill to negate the taco. Another 15 minutes and I could probably work off the "snacks"

Here, There I don't care. Just let me know. I'll put mine here for today. Breakfast: Protein Bar Lunch: Taco Bell Hard Taco (light lettuce/extra cheese) Snacks: 3 tortilla chips and one tablespoon Taco Bell Refried Beans (stopped myself from eating the rest for today at least)

Baby steps for me here - You two motivated me to get started but I only managed 15 min on the treadmill for 150 cal. My son kept trying to get on with me. Planning on getting back on in 30-45min after he goes to bed. I'm hoping to go another 20-30 min. Assuming the treadmill noise doesn't keep waking him up.

Hey all, just a reminder. The Bandsters Group is meeting at 7pm this Thursday at the Library on Antioch & Shawnee Mission Parkway. They are having a taste test of their favorite protein drinks this month. There are usually aound 15-20 people each month. Sea - If you want to meet up before hand and walk in together let me know. We could meet outside the Library in the courtyard or nearby. Otherwise I look forward to seeing you there. Update - My fill seems to be working. It is still real tight and I'm having acid reflux nearly every night which I haven't had since I was pregnant with Brian 3 years ago. However, the scale finally started moving again "Yippee".

OK Here's my two cents as well. I agree to varying levels with practically everything said so far. Even on both sides of the will power debate. After all if I had such wonderful will power why would I need a band. And dear lord I do get tired of that term "TOOL" Anyone notice it has only 4 letters? But deep down I know that its true both that it is just a tool and that it will take some will power on my part. The best thing about the band and it's "Tool" nature for me has been that in addition to the smaller meals it keeps me to it also helps keep me from moving to far up the scale if at all when I do lose that ever elusive will-power. It has turned my life from a 1 step forward 2 steps back to a 2 steps forward 1 step back. I can focus on losing weight when my will power is at its strongest and not stress about gaining it all back when my will power is at its weakest. This really has freed me from a lot of the guilt eating that usually followed after my first "cheat" when I was pre-banded. I started at 254 and was banded Sep 2006. I'm down to 188 as of yesterday. I still give in to the occasional craving for pumpkin pie, cheesecake, chocolate ice cream, AND YES FROSTING with a spoon or on saltines (there's just something about that sweet/salty combo I like) Oh and many other cravings. BUT like I said the even though the band does allow me to eat these I still find that I'm not eating as much as before and I'm MUCH BETTER able to pick myself up and start over with out beating myself up so much that I grab another sweet out of depression for giving in to the first. I'm sure I could lose faster if I didn't give in to these cravings or if I excersized more but there we go again if it were that easy then why did I bother to get banded? I take each day one at a time and hope that as time goes by I will make more mentally and physically healthy choices when it comes to food. Until then I just make sure the doc keeps me good and tight.

Cynthia - You are in my prayers girl. If there is anything I can do to help let me know. Are you going to have to spend the night. Who is watching your son? .... --- You guys are probably right but I hate to call Billie as I really don't want an unfill. I'm hoping the problems with the nightly acit reflux are due to my recent bad eating choices and the restriction is strange. I managed to eat nearly an entire frozen omelet this morning over approx 30-45 minute time frame but just 10 min before I ate the omelet I felt like I could have PB'd over 1-2 tablespoons worth of milk. It really annoys me that I'm so restricted with liquids but can still seem to get nearly 1 cup of food down at a sitting. On a more positive not my scale finally hit a new "low" showing 188 for the first time. That's 1 pound lost in 3+ weeks but it is still 1 pound.

Congrats!!! You can do it just 3 more pounds. I've cheated too. but wish it was only by getting on a scale. Instead of the Chocolate Ice Cream, Cheese Dip & Chips & Frozen Orage Juice I ate with a spoon like some kind of sorbet. Thankfully after a weekend of no self control I'm still fluxuating around 90-93 mark but I really need to get my but in gear and start making that scale move. You would think it would be easy right now as I'm so tight after this last fill that I can't eat much solids and even though I haven't PB'd what I do get down has been coming up in the middle of the night as acid reflux. - Diane

Do you know if the article is online by chance?

Glad you liked HSSH meeting I'm looking forward to trying it next month. I already go to the Bandsters one each month. Its the same night as Hoehn's this month. Just at 7pm instead of 6pm. I Usually try to hit both groups making me rush out of the first and show up late to the second. But I've been thinking of giving Hoehn's a skip for just this month. Partly because at last month (which I missed:cry) they had people bring their favorite protein bars to cut up and taste test. It went over so well this month they are planning on people bringing their favorite protein drinks to try. One fun/silly thing they do most months is to have everyone give how much weight they've lost at the beginning then at the end they announce how much combined weight the room has lost. - Diane

Still sore today but like I said it's getting better. Lying on back with knee up actually felt good. Was impossible to lay on right side even laying on left put my right leg in a position that hurt my hip. Stepping up with right leg also was so painful I was going up each new step with left foot first then pulling right up to it. Summarizing holding weight stable was OK-ish but moving weight up or forward with right side was very painful. There was an actual spot on right side about size of ping pong ball that was very painful to touch and felt like the bone was sticking out more at that point than the same place on the left side. Just glad its getting better now.

***WORLDS OF FUN*** Saturday SEPT 6th I finally set a date with my co-worker last week. We want to get together as many people who are interested in going to WOF on Saturday Sep 6th. Any and all are welcome. Even if you can't come but have friends, relatives or neighbors that want to have them contact me. If we get 15+ people together we can have what they called an "un-catered" event with tickets at approx $22 per adult for WOF. With 40+ people we can do a catered lunch for approx $27 per adult which includes the food. It's a bit more expensive but you definitely get more than $5 worth of food at the picnic. OK assuming you can keep it down. <48" Youth & 62+ Seniors are cheaper & I believe you can also opt for a WOF/OOF rate but I have the specifics at work. PLEASE if any of you are interested let me know. epsdianet@aol.com

Meant to ask how dinner went tonight. Wish I could have gone. I've always wanted to try the Melting Pot. Not exactly DH's cup of tea. We had fun in Branson. Didn't do the big parks but went on the Railway & the Ducks as well as checking out the Ripley's Museum (DH's idea) and a little power shopping at the mall with Missouri's conveniently timed Tax-Free weekend. But the day before we went I noticed my right hip was just a little sore. By the time we got to Branson I was in extreme pain. Don't remember doing anything to hurt it and have never had pain like it before. It was concentrated to one small spot about the size of a ping pong ball on my right hip but was so painful I couldn't walk without a limp and using my right leg to go up any stairs was out of the question. I was poping Tylenol & Advil right and left nearly doubling the daily max for each with little relief. Saturday afternoon My whole right leg went numb and tingly at the same time. I was seriously considering going to an urgent care but didn't want DH to remember his 40th as the time his wife wimped out especially after I was looking forward to showing off my slimmer and more active body so I did everything I could to pass it off as a slight cramp. Yesterday I was so ready to admit myself to the Hospital the minute I got back to KC today. But now today its suddenly back to just mildly sore. Stairs aren't fun & it hurts to walk but no limp. I wish I knew what happened so I could avoid it in the future. OK if you are still reading - My DH will be glad of the excuse for me to postpone HSSH until next month. Yes all are welcome from what I've read of the posts by the groups host on KCBandsters site. But I agree lets all get together for a meal again sometime in the next month.

So who all is going to Teusday's Meeting at HSSH? I'm planning on it but found out DH isn't leaving for Cancun (the bum) until Wed A.M. so he's not to happy I won't see him the night before. Maybe we could all meet up outside or somewhere nearby to go together. I'm a little nervous going somewhere new by myself.

:happybday: Happy Bandversary!! You lost how much? :wow2: :hail: I am in awe of you!! You are an inspiration.

I want to change jobs put now I can't per LAP BAND, Ideas? Can I rush the process? When looking at other jobs - You should make sure they still cover the band as well. If they don't you will need to pay $100+ for each fill and will also not be covered for any complications like dear Cynthia on this board. She was covered at time of surgery then her company dropped the coverage and she ended up with the "mystery" problem of the fills not working. One possibly "silly" suggestion I've heard on another site but will pass on anyways is that even part-time Starbucks employees are covered for this. If you changed jobs that would cover your fills and any potential complications. I was self pay so I wish I'd known about this before surgery last year. Now, I'll just work a little overtime to cover the fills after my year is up next month and "touch wood" no complications arise.

How long from the time your approved until you actually have surgery? As you are already approved and have a date to meet Hoehn it could be just a couple weeks depending on his & your schedule. Also depends on if & how much additional pre-op meetings they ask you to do. They will want you to meet with a nutritionist & the Psych doc but sometimes also require a Heart &/or Pulmanary checkout. I required the Heart but not Pulmanary. Took me approx 2-3 weeks after meeting with Hoehn. They were willing to tentatively set a surgery date that first visit on the assumption I could get the other work finished in time. Whats the hardest part? Surgery wise - Nothing Really. Post Surgery - For me it has been water. I like to gulp very cold water and have recently gotten to a point I'm restricted enough I can't do that. If I do I get sore in my upper chest and my mouth starts to water like crazy. Others on this board say they are as tight or tighter than me but can still chug away. (BUMS!) Everything else has been surprisingly easy to get use to. I want to change jobs put now I can't per LAP BAND, Ideas? Can I rush the process? I'm assuming you mean time between consult & surgery? If so you can probably schedule most if not all the necessary pre-op work the into the same week. Just cry to the scheduling people at each location. Biggest road block would be if Sabobathy (Psych) wanted to see you more than once. He did me but it, I still was able to get in within a couple weeks like I said. He just gave me an approval after the first meeting with a note in the file he wanted to see me one more time before surgery. (The day before in my case) How long until you feel normal? After Surgery? Personally, I had the surgery on a Tuesday and went back to work the Next Wednesday. Really felt well enough I could have gone back in one or two days. But wasn't sure how I'd feel facing work and its stresses while still on a liquid only diet. Worse the Gallbladder surgery or the same? For me this was MUCH Easier. Then again the doc that did my Gallbladder broke a needle off inside me when sewing me up and had to go back in to find it. Making the surgery take nearly an 1-1/2 hrs longer. I ended up with some nasty side effects to the prolonged anethesia as well as the darvacet pain meds afterwards. So I think that surgery isn't the best comparison. Mortality rates per this Dr. H? Specifict to Dr. H. - Mortality - None (That we know of I guess) Complications - VERY FEW - I have only heard of 4 - 2 port infections, 1 complication due to a pre-existing stomach condition that should have excluded the patient but her family insisted on going ahead with surgery. and 1 mystery complication where the band just isn't restricting the patient no matter how tight it's filled. One of the port infections & the "Mystery" complication both post on this board regularily. Surgery in General - VERY VERY LOW IF AT ALL - Think I've heard of only the rare instance of serious complication due to a Dr. "nicking" the Esophagus during surgery. May have even resulted in death but I don't remember reading that. There are two case studies done over a 5+ year time frame on 700+ patients that are GREAT Reads. I can give you links to them or pdf copies if you would like. Just let me know. - Love "Wheetsin's" suggestion that you also look into complication rates of the anethesist there is probably more risk with that aspect of the surgery than any other. Anyway all and any replies would be GREAT! I live in Shawnee KS.

Quote: Originally Posted by Wheetsin One if these days I'll do MBTI with you guys. Or one of the other 30-something personality inventory models I use. Look at learning styles, or people styles, or personality structure... (yes I'm a :nerd:, but I can't help but love this stuff). Count me in the Nerd category - I love the idea as well. Cynthia - I'm glad you finally have a surgery date. I'll be praying all goes well and it doesn't need to be removed. I'm glad you were able to get the funds but it's too bad about the insurance company though. I still feel the doc could have stepped up and covered some/all of it, no matter what the ultimate problem/cause is considering how you have been complaining about this for months before your insurance company dropped coverage of this. And especially if you had warned him that this needed to be resolved before the insurance company was dropping coverage.

By the By - Even though we've never really talked in depth before. I've always looked forward to seeing all of you at group. Throughout my journey there have been a handful of individuals I see & hear speak at group that really have helped me without even knowing I noticed them. And I believe it is safe to say I count everyone of you on this board among that select group. This is not some silly pep talk. I truly admire each of you for your struggles and acomplishments and been inspired by each of you. So keep your heads high no matter where you are as for every person you see blocking the path ahead of you, there are 10 standing just out of sight behind you looking to you as a guide along their path.

Angela - I like you short and simple explaination much better than mine "Volume Discount".

Melting Pot sounds like fun, I've never been there. I was assuming it was more of a personal thing between the 4? of you as the whole discussion started before I joined the board. Would have loved to come. Only that's the same day DH is turning 40! Me & my strange foods. I'd also like to invite all of you to try Ethiopian with me sometime. If you haven't already had it before. It one of my favorite foods. There is a great restaurant down on the city market. And it's very high Protein low carb. It is a great place to go with a group. Every one orders seperately but when the food arrives it is all on one giant round platter they place in the middle of the table. They then give you this "bread/flan" they call Indira made from some grain called Teff that has NO Carbs. The idea is that you eat the food by tearing off chunks of the Indiri, placing it over the food then using it to pick up a "pinch" of spiced meats, Beans or veggies. They will also provide forks for those who can't stomach the Indiri wether or not it has carbs it's still a bit "doughy". Let me know sometime after the Melting Pot maybe we can set a date to meet at the City Market some Saturday Morning.

Don't get me wrong I love seeing the info you have on the billing from this surgery!

OK I am NOT a person with any qualifications to talk about this. The *LINE* I've been given before from various Docs and dare I say it my mother who does coding/billing work for a group of doctors is that Insurance companies work as a large block of potential customers to negotiate special "Discounts" off what the insurance company determines to be the "Going Rate" (Can't remember correct term). Therefore the insurance companies supposedly get really ticked off if Dr's are found to be billing a self pay patient anything less than this "GR". I've heard the best you can push for is to make sure you aren't billed more than the "GR" though I have heard of patients in other areas of medicine where the docs are generous enough to accept payment from a self-pay for the same amt as insurance then "write off" the difference. They are carefull to document it as a bill for the full amount then a "write off" of uncollectable debt to save face with IC's. Even if the info I just gave is close to correct it still sounds like a bunch of *BULL* after all its the average Joe without Ins that needs the biggest break.

OH BOY! It's sad to say but I think you could win any worst IL contest. I did get a laugh over your stories and would love to hear more sometime. They definitely sound like the type of IL's that you have to laugh at for fear of crying over if you didn't. Now if you don't want to hear about mine feel free to skip rest of post I really have been blessed with my IL's. We usually get along well. MIL & I Will talk over the phone every week or two. Sometimes DH complains I know more about what is going on with his family than he does. When we get together MIL & I like to go window shopping together. She is a Martha Stewart "wanna-be" and has helped us paint, tile, re-upholster & even build furniture from scratch for us. Visiting their house in Lincoln, NE is fun for me (BORING for husband) They live on 5 acres just outside of town along side a long bike/walking trail. She keeps Chickens & a Llama and has a Spinning Wheel (from Sweden), a Loom, Potters Wheel & Kiln. Only wish she had a horse for me to ride. Before Brian was born I'd have fun going up to visit & playing with these "toys". The thing I like the best wasn't the fancy house or "toys" so much as the fact that their house & property is large enough I can lose my husband on it. There would be times I'd go most of the day not seeing him or the IL's without even leaving the house. Until recently DH & I lived in a little 900 Square Foot House and previously an even smaller apartment so that space was priceless. But sure made my out-laws jeaolous of the time I spent with the IL's. They couldn't understand it didn't have to do with the difference in income. Staying with my outlaws confined me to an even smaller space and subjected me & DH to hours of conversation mostly retelling old family stories. On the down side the FIL drinks too much at times, & MIL is always getting on his case about something. He usually deserves it but I'm not use to watching others fight so it can be uncomfortable. Our house usually kept those things private. Then again my parents are divorced now and his aren't. The MIL has also made an art of making all the siblings feel sorry for how "stressed & overworked" she always is, despite her lack of any kind of job. She makes us DIL's feel so badly for her we find ourselves trying to get time off from our FULL TIME Jobs to go help her on her projects. Then we step back and say wait a minute She doesn't even have a job or young children at home, Why are we the one's taking time off from our busy lives to help her instead of the other way around? Not to mention the whole "French Women" *Stuff* she keeps bringing up lately. STILL Compared to your IL's I have NOTHING to complain about. If I had any hopes of competing with you on the sad/twisted family stories it would have to be on the out-law side of my family. But I won't bore you guys with that on-line. You think I talk long now!! OH BOY, you don't know what long is. - Diane

It would be SO easy to tell you take the plane tickets and run. But I had a small taste of what you are describing when I was engaged to a Brit. But in my case the future IL won out & we didn't marry. So I think I have just a tiny understanding of the difficulties and strings attached your IL's money. My FIL owns a Nebraska Accounting Firm. No where near the money of your IL's. Still it gets under my skin when they try to say they are just middle class. Makes me wonder if they think their middle class what do they think of my family background? My IL's do offer more than we take and DH turns them down more than I would. I hate taking their handouts, its just I know how poor our finances are. But with DH turning 40 and me 37 this fall we need to stand on our own feet more and stop taking their help even if it is only once every few years.

Ben's going to be gone during the HSSH group this month either way I plan on going. Just if he is gone I'll be bringing Brian along with. KC Bandsters can sometimes be tricky as they frequently have it the same night as Hoehn's though theirs starts at 7pm instead of 6pm. They haven't posted a firm date for August yet but here's a link to thier Yahoo Forum Group if you are interested in taking a look. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/KCBandsters/