Elisabethsew

It's not a holiday in Mexico. Call Nina.

That's the reason why so many hospital emergency departments are crowded. Private MD offices can turn the patient away but EMTALA laws prohibit hospitals from doing the same. Many people use emergency departments as their primary mode of health care.

I never once experienced it so I can't help you out. I'm sure others will have some suggestions.

People over the age of 65 automatically get something called medicare. People who are not 65 and are disabled or had a parent die, etc., are covered under the medicaid system. The money for these programs comes from the taxes working people pay. Additionally, people 62 or over collect social security which affords them money sent in the form of a check (or direct deposit) monthly. No hospital is allowed to turn a person away for inability to pay. Most working people have to pay into their health benefits plan through payroll deduction and the better the insurance plan, the more you pay. I believe in the UK people have the option of carrying their own insurance in addition to the universal health care... I do one person in Ireland who does.

Yes it is allowed.

I take exception to the insuation that you feel you're being bullied and policed because you're from the UK. It's insulting to the people who post here. If you have a personal issue with someone, it's advisable to use the private message option. Thank you,

Are you taking an acid blocker such as Nexium or Prilosec? The surgeon I use places patients on one for 3 months post-op. I suffered with horrible heart burn pre-op but not at all since I had the revision.

Why does your entire family have to travel with you for everything and what post-op care do you need with WLS unless you're getting the band? I called the surgeon's office, scheduled an appointment, and traveled alone to and from Mexico.

Now that I'm getting used to solids, I've been experimenting... lol. I love the 100 calorie english muffins. For lunch one day last week, I toasted one and put a tablespoon of peanut butter on the surface. It's about 250 calories total and was very filling. Today, I toasted another muffin but this time I used a teaspoon of mayo and then put 2 slices of honey turkey breast to make a sandwich. I could only eat 2/3 rds. This proves that solid proteins are the way to go with the sleeve if you want to keep calories low and your stomach full. No, I am not the mad scientist. LOL.

LOL. You crack me up! I'm fat all over... mine does not discriminate.

The band and the sleeve both allow candy, sweets, and other empty calorie foods to slide right on down. Thankfully, those foods are not my problem. I could look at a dessert buffet and walk right on by. Hot bread and butter... not THAT I would have a real hard time with. LOL. Since I know what my trigger foods are, I keep them out of the house.

Have you considered the fact that it isn't about you at all but rather, about the other soldiers? Men are highly competitive and it's more likely that he's using the body building sessions to bond with the other men he is stationed with. Frequently, men pair up with a training partner so they can push themselves and benchmark off one another. It also gives them a spotting partner. Your husband said he doesn't want progress pictures and prefers to be surprised. It sounds like he has the same plan in store for you. When he returns, you'll both see the physical changes in one another which can only be positive. Many men are threatened in the relationship when their woman suddenly drops weight and makes physical improvements. The "I'm safe, nobody will want her" attitude is replaced with, "Damn, she's hot and men ARE looking". If the relationship is strong, the couple gets through it. Whether you husband is working out for you, or to bond with the other men, or a combination of the two doesn't really matter. You're both making physical imporvements and that will make you a hot couple.

The band never gave me restriction so I fought to lose the weight on my own and fought everyday to keep it off. The problem was, the esophageal burning from the acid reflux and the not being able to get sleep was getting to me. If I slept in bed, I woke up choking on acid so I slept in a chair for a few hours. With esophagitis and gastritis, you eat foods that kill the acid reflux and those are creamy, non-spicy, soft foods... packed with calories. I could have easily gained 20 pounds in a month. The reason I got the revision was firstly for my quality of living and secondly, to lose weight.

Actually, the stomachs are not the same size. The amount of stomach that is removed can be anywhere from 60-90% depending on the surgeon and the patient's anatomy. Mac's point about the swelling on point. Some people don't have a lot of post-op swelling and heal quickly. With less swelling and more room, they can drink more easily and consume greater amounts of food. Remember, healing is generally complete at 6 weeks for the majority of patients. The bottom line is that you're losing a lot of weight. You lost 13 and have 7 to go to get to your new goal and you're only a month out.

Why are you eating so much dairy? If you're on the soft diet, you can have pasta, meatballs, flounder, talapia, other soft fishes, tuna salad, chicken salad, omelettes, etc.

I think you said you had 15 pounds to lose before the surgery and you've already lost 13. Since you're 2 pounds from goal and didn't have any of the band issues that WASA, Susan, and I had, it makes sense that you're recovering fast and can eat more.

Congratulations on your surgery. If you can have protein drinks and can't tolerate dairy, try soy splender drinks. They are in the health food section of the grocery store on the shelf in a carton.

You're really not going to "experience" the effects of the surgery until you get to the hard protein stage. Healthy Choice meals are less than 300 calories and never satisfied me. Have you tried some tuna or chicken salad on soft bread?

I don't want to be a kill joy BUT, you really can't call posters curse words. It's against the rules. Hey, I'm a moderator so PLEASE keep the debate topic focused. Thank you,

Yay! Congratulations on the scale moving. I was going nuts jumping on and off that damn scale and decided to stay off and try and weigh monthly. My clothes are fitting looser and people are beginning to notice I am losing... progress. LOL.

Congratulations, it will be here before you know it.

I thought you wrote that you did not pay a large premium and that you got a good price? That would mean you're not an idiot but you seem to have personalized what WASA wrote. As I stated in my post, what surgery to have, where to have it, who performs it, and how to pay for it are major concerns in the U.S. Like it or not, surgeons pay 3rd parties to recruit patients and that cost IS passed on to patients. Therefore, it is VERY likely that cutting out the 3rd party WILL result in lower prices for the patient. For those who money is not an issue, 3rd party recruiters may not be an issue. For the majority, it is.

I don't live in the UK and so I learn from those who do. This forum is open to anyone who wants to join. Thank you,

Please review the rules of this forum. Attacking ideas and debate is fine but personal attacks on people is prohibited and subject to administrative action. Mentioning 3rd parties, insurance companies, surgeons, etc., IS allowed. Advertising is also allowed as long as you go through the owner of this site, Alex, and pay the prevailing rates to do so. Thank you,

I find people come to forums such as this for three reasons: 1. They are looking for the "right" type of weight loss surgery. 2. They are looking for help in selecting a qualified surgeon and want to know from others what the pre and post-op experience was like. 3. They are concerned about cost. While things might be different in Europe as compared to here in the United States, self pay means the same thing no matter where you go. National Health Insurance dictates what procedure you can have, when you can have it, where you will have it, and which surgeon will perform the surgery. Insurance companies in the U.S. might not be identical to NHS but they come close. Self pay means the consumer is in control. You make ALL the decisions and that means you're the boss. As the boss, you get to decide on the who, what, when, and where because you hold the $$$$$$$$$$. Let's face it, surgeons, like all people who earn a living, are in business to make money. Since cost is a HUGE issue in this economy, self-pay allows the person to cut out all unnecessary costs. Surgeons love to cut but they can't be bothered with the day to day operations of a practice. That is why they hire an office staff and an office or practice manager/coordinator. To save money, it makes sense to cut out middle men and deal directly with the office manager. So: 1. Determine what surgery is right for you and when you make that decision... 2. Research surgeons who do the surgery you want and when you do that 3. Call the surgeon's office, ask to speak to the office manager, and let the bargaining begin! It's important to remember that the person who holds the money is in control. If you're a self pay, you are the boss and you're interviewing and hiring the surgeon of YOUR choice.