skyeblu79

With my first fill I felt restriction for about 3 weeks or so and then last Friday it just went away last Friday. I don't know if what I was feeling was from the swelling or what. I go to get my 2nd fill today. Hopefully it will last this time.

The website is Fill Centers USA - Weight Loss Surgery - Bariatric Surgery - Gastric Bypass Surgery - Lap Band Surgery Information and Support

Great...I will definitely get it before the treadmill comes on the 12th. Thanks for responding!!

I chew daily and it doesn't give me any problems.

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Has anyone tried these? I just purchased a new treadmill on Friday. I thought about getting some of these. Starting off w/the phase 1. They are $29.99 at Sears. I saw a few on Ebay. Any opinions. Also, any other things I might need for the treadmill. Thanks!!

Hi Patticakes, I see that there are 3 other Centers of Excellence just in Missouri alone. I would start researching those. Here is the link... Surgical Review Corporation That still seems to be the cheapest way to go. Being that you already know Medicare will cover it I would still stick w/them. Good luck on everything!!

Hi Shelicallie!! I went to the location in Roswell, GA and I am going back again this weekend. When I tried scheduling my appointment for the Denver, NC they still hadn't gotten the fluro situation figured out. Hopefully they have now. Also there is another location that opened recently in Huntersville, NC. If they have the fluro set up I am going to try one of those locations for my 3rd fill. With fluro in Roswell it's an extra $120 on top of the $155...or $299 if it's your first fill. Wow, you have less than 3 weeks to go. I know you are excited!! Congrats on your upcoming banding date!!

Exactly what I was thinking...

I did Atkins about 3 years ago and lost 30 lbs. That was the most I ever lost. After I quit I gained back 50 within a year. I then did it again and lost 15 and I lost around the same on fat smash and gained back around 40 lbs. This is the first thing I have done where I haven't gained back weight. Even when I didn't get an adjustment I still didn't gain any weight back.

I don't do liquids after PBing. After my first fill I was pbing some I guess from trying to figure out how to eat, how fast, and what to eat. For a week or so it was happening kind of often. I haven't PBed since last Saturday night. I guess I could ask the doc what she thinks when I go back in.

I tried drinking a few sips of soda once since being banded and I had the most horrible stomach pains. I am too scared to try beer. I loved Corona Light before being banded, but only really miss them when I see someone else drinking me. I know when I go to Vegas I will miss the Bellagio champagne brunch. I can't eat the buffet anyone way though.

I was drinking again w/a month. Mostly fruity things like Zoombies, Sangrias, Bellini's, typical TGIF stuff like Electric Lemonades, etc. I loved Corona Light w/grenadine before banding, but I am too scared to try beer now. I tried like 2 sips of soda maybe 3 month out of surgery and my stomach immediately began hurting horribly. I don't want to ever drink anything carbonated again. For some reason, I really don't want to drink like I used too and I only get one drink if I do which is rare compared to my 3 or 4 before. One drink really seems like enough now or I might have a sip of someone elses.

Let's see....I went in at 6 weeks to my aftercare doc. Was told I had to get a upper GI. Came back at 7 weeks. Couldn't get a fill due to a seroma. Came back at 9 weeks and couldn't get a fill due to incompetence (Dr. K basically said don't go back). From May-July, I tried finding a new aftercare doc. Finally a fill center location came close enough. Glad to finally have get a fill.

If you cooked them to the point where they were mushy I don't see what the problem is.

In my situation, I live in NC and my surgeon is located in Denver, CO. It's a lot easier to go to a fill center since there are some closer. I was self-pay.

That sounds a little like my experience w/my first aftercare doc, only mine was intolerable. He said that maybe my seroma hadn't completely healed. I was scared for a while to try again. I didn't go back to him again. I ended up going to another doc and she used a numbing agent. It wasn't a needle, so no double pain. Instead it was something cold that she sprayed over the area. I felt nothing, but a little pressure. And she did use fluro. I feel really comfortable getting another fill.....Now it's no big deal.

I agree with Melissa Lee about seeing if your new employer will cover it. You probably already know the county/state will be will working. You could probably just call or look on their website and find out what insurance it is. You can then check w/the insurance company and see if it covers it. I think in NC, we have 2 plans now one which is the Blue Cross Blue Shield State plan. Also, since you are about the graduate, I am wondering if you are going to start grad school. I was saving for the lap band when I decided to start grad school. I was able to borrow enough extra money from my school loans to cover it. Just a few thoughts. Good luck w/your student teaching this semester and w/the lap band!!

Usually a couple of times a month I will get a sugarfree iced coffee. I usually get sf vanilla or hazlenut added...It's not quite a frapp, but it's really good. I have only had a frapp once since being banded and I really didn't need it then.

Raleigh, North Carolina

I haven't, but I thought about taking Alli...The side effects concern me though and I haven't actually heard anyone say who it works. And it's expensive.

I don't think I would cash out the life insurance. I notice that you said you are a student. I ended up borrowing extra money from my student loans and saving up the rest. Not sure if this is an option for you, but since I was a grad student I could borrow a lot more money. I did end up going to doctor Kirshenbaum b/c it was the least expensive option that I found for a good doc and being able to stay in the U.S. Since I finally have a fillcenterusa location to use, it really helps to still keep costs down. Good luck!!

The last thing I said was to my anesthesiologist. He asked me what I did for a living. That's the last thing I remember telling him. I don't recall ever seeing the surgeon in the OR. He did come in while I was waiting before surgery and that's a blurr now.

I have a horrible needle phobia and I can honestly say it doesn't hurt when done right. I had a big experience initially and ended up getting my first fill from a different doc. She sprayed something cold over me to numb the area, which was perfect to me b/c I didn't want a needle to numb the area. I felt absolutely nothing other than a weird pressure. You'll be good. Good luck with everything.

Another movie I just thought of was Baby Cakes. I think that's what it was called w/Ricki Lake. I hated the part where the girlfriend beat up Ricki Lake's character. I can't stand watching that part. And I know this isn't a movie, but Growing Pains was one of my favorite shows growing up. I never really noticed when I was a kid, but watching it in reunions I noticed that they really gave Carol (Tracy Gold) a hard time. It doesn't shock me she got an eating disorder.