grateful1

Every third Saturday. Of every month. So the third Saturday of April. same time and place. 10:30-12:30 at 2800 L Street, Classroom 1.

every third Saturday, which is day after tomorrow! hope to see you there!

The BAND-ONLY support group in Sacramento meets next Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010! Sacramento Valley Bandsters Support Group third Saturday of every month from 10:30-12:30. Sutter Cancer Center Classroom 1, First Floor 2800 L Street, Sacramento Easy parking is available one short block away in covered lot on 29th Street, between K and L streets. Costs $1 per hour. This group was purposely set up so as NOT to conflict with the other support groups in the area. Any band patient from any doctor or hospital is welcome to attend. Please join us!

The BAND-ONLY support group in Sacramento meets next Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010! Sacramento Valley Bandsters Support Group third Saturday of every month from 10:30-12:30. Sutter Cancer Center Classroom 1, First Floor 2800 L Street, Sacramento Easy parking is available one short block away in covered lot on 29th Street, between K and L streets. Costs $1 per hour. This group was purposely set up so as NOT to conflict with the other support groups in the area. Any band patient from any doctor or hospital is welcome to attend. Please join us!

I'm doing okay. I'm in the 30-35 BMI study so I started out smaller, but could see the writing on the wall that I was going to get bigger if I didn't get a handle on it, and I had lost all motivation to do it (again) on my own, only to gain it back (again). I had a slow leak in my port during my first year and ended up gaining back what I lost, had my port replaced, and started all over again near my year anniversary. So in the last year I lost 45 and have 20 to go. Actually, I lost most of that 45 in the first 6-8 months and have barely lost anything in the last few months, but at least I'm not gaining. My band was too tight and I was getting enough liquid calories to maintain my weight (a major no-no, I know). I also started having bad reflux and night and wasn't able to keep any solid food down. Now that I had an unfill (a few unfills actually) I am able to eat better and cut out the mushies. I just need to go on a diet now to get this last 20 lbs. off. I have a breast lift/reduction and tummy tuck scheduled for the end of December. Can't wait to get rid of this muffin top!

There's a new BAND-ONLY support group in Sacramento! Sacramento Valley Bandsters Support Group third Saturday of every month from 10:30-12:30. Sutter Cancer Center Classroom 1, First Floor 2800 L Street, Sacramento Easy parking is available one short block away in covered lot on 29th Street, between K and L streets. Costs $1 per hour. This group was purposely set up so as NOT to conflict with the other support groups in the area. Any band patient from any doctor or hospital is welcome to attend. Please join us! By the way, I'm Tammy, a patient of Dr. Waldrep, banded in Roseville in October 2008. I'm co-moderating this new support group with April, a Kaiser band patient.

There's a new BAND-ONLY support group in Sacramento! Sacramento Valley Bandsters Support Group third Saturday of every month from 10:30-12:30. Sutter Cancer Center Classroom 1, First Floor 2800 L Street, Sacramento Easy parking is available one short block away in covered lot on 29th Street, between K and L streets. Costs $1 per hour. This group was purposely set up so as NOT to conflict with the other support groups in the area. Any band patient from any doctor or hospital is welcome to attend. Please join us! By the way, I'm Tammy, a patient of Dr. Waldrep, banded in Roseville in October 2008. I'm co-moderating this new support group with April, a Kaiser band patient.

Sacramento Valley Bandsters Support Group third Saturday of every month from 10:30-12:30. Sutter Cancer Center Classroom 1, First Floor 2800 L Street, Sacramento Easy parking is available one short block away in covered lot on 29th Street, between K and L streets. Costs $1 per hour. This group was purposely set up so as NOT to conflict with the Kaiser and SALSA support groups in the area. Any band patient from any doctor or hospital is welcome to attend. Please join us! By the way, I'm Tammy, a patient of Dr. Waldrep, banded in Roseville in October 2008. I'm co-moderating this new support group with April, a Kaiser band patient.

okay, I couldn't wait until the end of the month to get an unfill so I went in today and had .25 cc's taken out. I'll know better in the next few days if this unfill will take care of my pooling issue! I certainly hope so... and I hope my band isn't too loose now so I won't gain weight!

I'm 2 years banded and have the same problem! Although I don't use a CPAP and sometimes my pooling is acidic. When it is, I have to get up, force myself to throw it up, then take a chewable antacid and go back to sleep propped up until the antacid goes down. I also can only sleep on my left side unless I'm propped up. I'm thinking my band is just a tad too tight and I have an appointment to get a little taken out at the end of the month. I also think I'm too tight because I haven't been able to eat fruits or veggies for quite a while now and I'm starting to feel unhealthy. I also haven't lost weight in several months because I've been eating more mushy and smooth foods and getting enough calories to sustain my current weight. Thankfully I'm not gaining, but still! I only have 20 lbs. to go and I think it might be best to get a slight unfill and just go on a diet and eat more veggies! I can always get another fill if I start gaining. In all this time I still haven't found the "sweet spot" some people talk about. I'm just either too tight or not tight enough... never just right. It's a constant struggle for me.

Well, apparently there are more test requirements that the FDA needs for the study, so it ends up costing more than if I was just self-pay and not in the study, except that I wouldn't qualify without being in the study since I don't have any health issues and I don't want to gain 45 lbs. Summarily, the approximate cost if you're in the study is $19,000. This includes the dietician eval., the PCP eval., the psych eval., blood work up, chest x-ray, upper GI, pre and post op visits, the procedure, the operating room fee, the device, and all follow up visits and fills for one year (which are every month for 9 months, then at 12 mos.). The study is for 5 years so you still go in every 3 mos. until you reach the 2-year mark, then every 6 mos. until the 3-year mark, then annually until the 5-year mark. The visits after the 12-month mark are out of pocket at approx. $200 each visit. You actually pay each doctor directly (dietician, psych, labs, etc.) but it adds up to about $19,000. It could cost less if you have connections. Waldrep's office charges approx. $9200 for their part (pre/post op visits, procedure, support group and year of visits). The surgery center charges $7000 for the facility and device. They have a financing program if you need it. I borrowed the money from my mom. The surgery was fast and simple. I checked in at 7:30 am, surgery was at 8:45, it took 20 mins. to do the procedure and I was at home by 11:30. My abdomen hurt like I was kicked in the ribs but they give you some pretty good meds. I ended up resting for a couple of days. They do a new procedure when they put in the port part of the band to make it more stable so it won't flip (they actually dig a pocket in your tissue with their fingers!), so that part ends up taking a little longer to heal (very sore at that sight, with some sharp pains if you move wrong due to muscles mending). I would say that I was fully recovered (no swelling or soreness, just some faded bruises) by day 5. Overall, I would say the surgery was very successful. I don't have a fill yet and I can still eat everything without having to chew real well. I can't eat as much as I normally did, but I can eat more than I think I should be able to. I get my first fill a few days before Thanksgiving and Dr. Waldrep's office is pretty aggressive with their fills (usually 4.5 cc's at first fill). I hope that makes me cut back more! Thankfully I'm not a big sweets eater or grazer/snacker. I just like big meals

Yeah, I heard that about not losing weight if you're low BMI. Thankfully I'm not a grazer or sweets eater. I'm more of a volume eater. I generally eat good stuff, but it takes a lot to satisfy me at a meal. I'm hoping to stick to just 3 meals a day but eat less at each meal. So far, so good. Lost 8 lbs. since surgery 2.5 weeks ago without really trying and without a fill. I can tell I need a fill though because I can still eat more than I think I should be able to... although not as much as I used to. I go in for a fill 3 days before Thanksgiving, which should make the holiday interesting! I'm hoping to work hard to lose the weight, but then have the band to help me keep it off. We'll see how it goes!