Band_Groupie

Good luck tomorrow. Check back in and let us know how you're doing!

Hijacker here...now from PA...saw your meeting site and it made me smile...I used to live just around the corner from the mall (Highland Lakes), actually before there was a mall (family still in Cols.). Have fun-Go Bucks!

Thanks for the recipe! We make our "Cincinnati Chili"...but I'm sure it has a million calories (secret ingredient is chocolate!). Just back from the Urologist again...what cruddy weather...and the "girls" canceled for lunch today :-( soup sounds good

(S)He's making a list...checking it twice.... Neck Forearm Bust Waist Hip Thigh Calf Gonna find out...Who's....Nice! (Sorry...listening to Christmas music while I'm finishing decorating). Thanks All! Off to measure-if the tape is big enough

So really? There's no "standard"? Thanks! Hmm...ankles, thumbs, knees, earlobes,....those 1/8" are going to start adding up (Today=253" lost! Hee-hee).

When people say they've lost ___ total inches, where are those inches measured? I'm assuming waist, hips/bum, anywhere else? I started doing this and began measuring all kinds of places (ie. arms, thighs)...then I thought- if I have a huge list of measurements I'd only have to lose a tiny bit to get a huge total loss...LOL...:rolleyes2:duh, there must be a standard list, right?

Since I’ve been rummaging the closet for pants the last few days, it got me thinking about shoes. Pre-kids I was a size 7 1/2-8 and now I’m an 8 1/2W-9W. I always thought that I gained sizes because of pregnancies and because of that ol’ “your feet spread as you get older” thing…you know…the same thing that makes you buy uglier and uglier shoes the older and fatter you get. When I worked and was thinner, I wore beautiful heels every day…stilettos some days even, but now I’ve got those stay-at-home-soccer-mom-who’s-let-herself-go shoes. You know the ones…almost always plain black…flats or a low huge chunky heel (who could balance on stilettos at my weight?)…sometimes an ugly square toed boot…tried those beautiful long pointy-toe ones…you know “witches boots” but I about killed myself tripping over those beautiful pointy-toes (yep, obese & balance aren’t a good mix). So anyway…I’ve been reading that people lost shoe sizes as they lost weight…seriously? This is good news indeed! Pretty shoes again…seriously?!!! Uh-oh…no, I mean UH-OH!!! I gave all my old ones/sizes to charity!!!!…Used shoes you say? Who would want those, you say? Well, my “collection” wasn’t just any old used shoes! My MIL worked for years (no longer) at a fancy boutique shoe store and twice a year when the seasons changed, I, and my SIL, were the recipients of the “shoe fairy” (usually got 3-6 pr. at a time). She was able to buy the out-of-season shoes for next to nothing for us…and these weren’t just any shoes, oh no!...these were “drool on yourself” “Carrie (Sex in the City) would be so jealous” shoes…all the best brands …some of them originally hundreds of dollars even “way-back-when” ...the kind that even made my short stubby almost-a-Wide feet look pretty…and I had so many…barely broken in! Now I’m no label snob at all…my daughter wants to turn me in to “What Not To Wear”…Shhh-do you think she’s noticed yet that I’ve only got 5 cruddy pants that fit (see “12/8/08 Pantless until June!” blog) I ask you, WHO wants to clothes shop when they’re fat?..Ahh the shoe-fairy...I can’t BELIEVE what a great deal it was…and now I can’t BELIEVE I gave them all new homes and I may be that size again! I didn’t even give/save any for my daughter that I could steal back…her feet are longer and narrower…Dang my DH giving my daughter the long pretty skinny feet gene (He’s a 14B, she’s a 9-10Narrow)… even SHE cried when I sent the last batch away…I remember, she tried to play “Ugly Step-Sister”…you know…trying to cram her size 9.5 feet into my size 7.5 Cinderella shoes…but no go. So I’m looking for a new Shoe Fairy…and hanging out the “Wanted” sign…after all, pretty shoes may be in my future!

Since I’ve been rummaging the closet for pants the last few days, it got me thinking about shoes. Pre-kids I was a size 7 1/2-8 and now I’m an 8 1/2W-9W. I always thought that I gained sizes because of pregnancies and because of that ol’ “your feet spread as you get older” thing…you know…the same thing that makes you buy uglier and uglier shoes the older and fatter you get. When I worked and was thinner, I wore beautiful heels every day…stilettos some days even, but now I’ve got those stay-at-home-soccer-mom-who’s-let-herself-go shoes. You know the ones…almost always plain black…flats or a low huge chunky heel (who could balance on stilettos at my weight?)…sometimes an ugly square toed boot…tried those beautiful long pointy-toe ones…you know “witches boots” but I about killed myself tripping over those beautiful pointy-toes (yep, obese & balance aren’t a good mix). So anyway…I’ve been reading that people lost shoe sizes as they lost weight…seriously? This is good news indeed! Pretty shoes again…seriously?!!! Uh-oh…no, I mean UH-OH!!! I gave all my old ones/sizes to charity!!!!…Used shoes you say? Who would want those, you say? Well, my “collection” wasn’t just any old used shoes! My MIL worked for years (no longer) at a fancy boutique shoe store and twice a year when the seasons changed, I, and my SIL, were the recipients of the “shoe fairy” (usually got 3-6 pr. at a time). She was able to buy the out-of-season shoes for next to nothing for us…and these weren’t just any shoes, oh no!...these were “drool on yourself” “Carrie (Sex in the City) would be so jealous” shoes…all the best brands …some of them originally hundreds of dollars even “way-back-when” ...the kind that even made my short stubby almost-a-Wide feet look pretty…and I had so many…barely broken in! Now I’m no label snob at all…my daughter wants to turn me in to “What Not To Wear”…Shhh-do you think she’s noticed yet that I’ve only got 5 cruddy pants that fit (see “12/8/08 Pantless until June!” blog) I ask you, WHO wants to clothes shop when they’re fat?..Ahh the shoe-fairy...I can’t BELIEVE what a great deal it was…and now I can’t BELIEVE I gave them all new homes and I may be that size again! I didn’t even give/save any for my daughter that I could steal back…her feet are longer and narrower…Dang my DH giving my daughter the long pretty skinny feet gene (He’s a 14B, she’s a 9-10Narrow)… even SHE cried when I sent the last batch away…I remember, she tried to play “Ugly Step-Sister”…you know…trying to cram her size 9.5 feet into my size 7.5 Cinderella shoes…but no go. So I’m looking for a new Shoe Fairy…and hanging out the “Wanted” sign…after all, pretty shoes may be in my future!

My thoughts exactly! Please call your doctor and let them know this! There should not be any noticable bleeding/blood anywhere in your GI tract from this procedure...even with "massive swelling".

Breanne- Just in case you don't get a form before your physical (ask for full bloodwork as you might find additional comorbidities like high cholesterol or diabetes you don't know about and that will be helpful in getting coverage for LB), here's a copy of mine (just posted this for someone else). I don't think they'll care if you use a different one to start as long as all the info. is captured. Tell your PCP the visit needs to be a weight visit for insurance purposes. Good luck with the headaches also...I just started meds. for chronic migraines a few months ago and it's been wonderful relief! Here's my post/form: I created my own combining the info./templates of the 3 hospital seminars I attended, and had it approved by the insurance expert at my surgeon's office (below- I condensed the lines/format). I was told insurance wants to see monthly goals for both weight (I was told not to gain, but not to lose much either, I'm on a step down calorie program-American Fare plan) and exercise every month (as important as the weight), the Dr. visits must not be about anything other than this (that's how they code the visit for insurance-so don't combine it with a sick visit-someone on LBT was denied for it being a sick visit just one month.), and they also want to see some form of education is going on. I told my PCP I could initiate the topics (ie. last month I took in a family history list of all the obesity related issues in my family history-actually an eye-opener for me when I put it all down), we spent some time discussing it and my PCP educated me about them and she made notes in the Education section (this month I've prepared questions for my surgeon consult which is coming up). I attached my list to that month's visit. I fill out my self-assesment of how I did on last month's goals, the Dr. fills out the rest. Hopefully this will do it! Good luck! DIET & EXERCISE PLAN FOR PATIENT: ________________________________DOB______________ Visit #: __________ Date: ______________ Current Weight lbs.: __________ - GOALS ACHIEVED FROM _____/_____/_____ : - Patient Self Assessment: Nutrition: __________________________________ Exercise: ___________________________________ Sleep: _____________________________________ Accountability: ______________________________ - GOALS FOR NEXT MONTH: Nutrition: Pt. to Follow ____________ Calorie Diet Fluid: No Caffeine, No Carbonation, No Calories, Between meals only Quality: Emphasize Protein, Low Sugar, Low Fat Regularity: 3 meals per day, Eat every 4-5 Hours, No grazing, Slow meal down to 20-30 min. [*]Exercise: Pt. to Exercise at least ______________ Min. per Week [*]sleep [*] Pt. to Achieve 7-9 Hours per Night [*]Accountability: Keep Food/Activity/Sleep Log (only as needed) Support Education Stress Reduction - COMMENTS ON PATIENT’S PROGRESS: _____________________________________________ - OBESITY HEALTH EDUCATION/GOALS-Post surgery, behavior changes, history, comorbidities, etc.:___________________________________________ MD Signature _______________________________________________

Like they said- ask your insurance. For me I have to do 7 visits with my PCP (6 mo. + initial weigh in) and they have to be soley about my diet/exercise program (can not be combined with sick visit). I was told the visits get coded to the insurance co. and a sick visit is coded differently than a weigh-in visit (so your sick visit wouldn't have counted for me, or even the second one if you didn't use a form to collect the data). At ea. of these 7 visits a form is used for you and the PCP to take notes (surgeon's offices will give you theirs to use). Has stuff like weight of course but exercise plan/min. is just as important as well as education about the LB. I also had 2 months of "false starts" because I didn't know exactly what was needed. Go to your insurance and attend seminars first.

Not even a little...you sound proud, which you should be! You look amazing. (and Go Bucks!...OSU grad here).

Amazing-NOT! That's you...protein drinks (left you a note at your blog). Where did you get vegetarian chili? Can? UTI- no fun at all (only thing worse maybe is a camera up there...me-tomorrow...yay!). Band? Hmmm...I just did a thread about that...I've been wondering how insurance will handle it if I cut a few days/week off my "diet sentence"? My 2 oldest are graduating in Spring-big parties/company...so a week earlier would help a LOT. My initial weigh-in was Nov. 10, 2nd Dec. 10, so I was wondering if I have to end May 10? I think that's out the window already though because PCP could only see me on the 8th in Jan. Watch me get denied for a week early...dag insurance (didn't I just say that?)! I don't know how long it takes after you're done with the diet...I'll have to ask them! Late May might be too much to pray for huh?...one can hope. June probably :-(

Thanks! You're like having a personal shopper...thanks for taste-testing...I've added these to my list. Now if only I could get a personal chef...you know how I love to cook!

Patti- So sorry to hear this...but, so happy to hear about your 3# loss...way to go! Feel better soon! (was the hernia related to your LB?)

I had my first month’s weigh in with my PCP this morning. I came out 2 pounds lost (from my eat and drink fest last time), but at least I wasn’t water-logged/bladder bursting again so I could actually have a nice discussion and pay attention this time. My PCP visit went well and we discussed my building a support system (talked about online and the Healthwise Company support program I enrolled in). I’ve been having more trouble with my osteoarthritis in my lower back…not sure if it’s because I’ve just about eliminate the almost daily pain relievers since they started me on migraine medicine. I was afraid to start any pain relievers for my arthritis in fear of the migraines coming back (the arthritis is nothing compared to the migraines). She said it’s OK to start some Tylenol as needed, so we’ll see what happens. It’s also likely that I’m having more pain now that I’m exercising…my body saying “Exercise??!!! What’s that?!!” I’ve had some toe numbness on one side, so she’s having me get an x-ray just to be sure the discs are still OK. I was so frustrated at the beginning of this process with learning I’d have to do the 6 mo. diet (Diet?!!! Been there, done that…if that worked I wouldn’t need a LAP-BAND®!), but after spending some time researching the LB I began to think 6 mo. was a good thing. There’s so much to learn and to prepare for. For example, this month my “Education Task” with my PCP was doing research and putting together my questions for my surgeon consult coming up. I’m actually amazed that even after 3 different hospital seminars how many questions I still have. I’ve been thinking about this and it’s because this isn’t like most procedures. Heck, when I had my hysterectomy & bladder sling it was pretty much textbook, no choices, standard procedures, I knew what would happen (except the failing part). With this I still have a million questions not only because every surgeon requires different pre & post-op testing/care (let’s not even get into all the differences in fill schedules/procedures/amounts)…but even with the surgery there’s differences….ie. I have a choice of which type of LB and a choice of where my port goes…and look at all the other differences we hear about on LBT: 1 incision or 5?, catheter or not?, CO2 heated and removed or not?, overnight or out-patient?, on and on. So having 6 mo. to research and prepare isn’t all bad and I know now I’ll be more successful afterwards because of what I’ve learned… My only problem is…I started researching this in summer so I’m ALREADY almost at 6 mo. of preparing/researching…yep, when I look at it, the past 6 mo’s. went fast, but these next 5-6 months are going to be longggggggg! Help me make the time go faster...tell me a story…....anyone have a good joke?

I had my first month’s weigh in with my PCP this morning. I came out 2 pounds lost (from my eat and drink fest last time), but at least I wasn’t water-logged/bladder bursting again so I could actually have a nice discussion and pay attention this time. My PCP visit went well and we discussed my building a support system (talked about online and the Healthwise Company support program I enrolled in). I’ve been having more trouble with my osteoarthritis in my lower back…not sure if it’s because I’ve just about eliminate the almost daily pain relievers since they started me on migraine medicine. I was afraid to start any pain relievers for my arthritis in fear of the migraines coming back (the arthritis is nothing compared to the migraines). She said it’s OK to start some Tylenol as needed, so we’ll see what happens. It’s also likely that I’m having more pain now that I’m exercising…my body saying “Exercise??!!! What’s that?!!” I’ve had some toe numbness on one side, so she’s having me get an x-ray just to be sure the discs are still OK. I was so frustrated at the beginning of this process with learning I’d have to do the 6 mo. diet (Diet?!!! Been there, done that…if that worked I wouldn’t need a LAP-BAND®!), but after spending some time researching the LB I began to think 6 mo. was a good thing. There’s so much to learn and to prepare for. For example, this month my “Education Task” with my PCP was doing research and putting together my questions for my surgeon consult coming up. I’m actually amazed that even after 3 different hospital seminars how many questions I still have. I’ve been thinking about this and it’s because this isn’t like most procedures. Heck, when I had my hysterectomy & bladder sling it was pretty much textbook, no choices, standard procedures, I knew what would happen (except the failing part). With this I still have a million questions not only because every surgeon requires different pre & post-op testing/care (let’s not even get into all the differences in fill schedules/procedures/amounts)…but even with the surgery there’s differences….ie. I have a choice of which type of LB and a choice of where my port goes…and look at all the other differences we hear about on LBT: 1 incision or 5?, catheter or not?, CO2 heated and removed or not?, overnight or out-patient?, on and on. So having 6 mo. to research and prepare isn’t all bad and I know now I’ll be more successful afterwards because of what I’ve learned… My only problem is…I started researching this in summer so I’m ALREADY almost at 6 mo. of preparing/researching…yep, when I look at it, the past 6 mo’s. went fast, but these next 5-6 months are going to be longggggggg! Help me make the time go faster...tell me a story…....anyone have a good joke?

Woo-Hoo!! Date set...good for you (I'm sure it will sink in soon)!

I don't know much...the only thing I have direct experience with is that there are several genetic things that can cause these (they can show up anywhere in the gastro-intestinal system, same as colon polyps), but I know there are many reasons/causes. I'm telling you this in case you haven't done a family history of polyps yet (asking your family)...I'd be surprised if they don't want this and it's good information to have regardless of your issue now. I've read that they're more rare in the stomach and as you know the far majority are benign. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Hey Marily...there's no time like now for a change. Great site and friendly people here. Spend some time going through the forum sections and be sure to scan the "sticky" info. at the top of each. Have fun learning!

Pre-band but I just want to clarify...$1100 per fill...can't be!...typo? Also, I've seen others on here with a high fill like yours, but they have good restriction by your point. Does your Dr. take all the saline out before they add your fill (to check for leaks)? Have you ever had restriction? Someone will be along who's been there...

Pre-band here, but I've been researching all this since summer and this is not normal to be burping any color of blood...call you surgeon!

Ditto- get a copy (online usually-call your co.) and follow their guidelines. Every BCBS is different (even within the state of PA there are different BCBS policies). When they say "comorbidity" they usually just give a few examples and this is the vague part. I found out that usually that means you need at least one (some BCBS require more) of the "biggies" which are heart, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and sleep apnea (all the other ones don't really count except to boost your case...ie. arthritis, asthma, GERD, etc.). Also these "biggies" need to have a Doctors diagnosis and treatment (ie. for high blood pressure you need to be on medication). Good luck!

OK, after noting my lack of pants that fit yesterday (see previous blog) it got me thinking about how many sizes I’ve kept over the years. I decided to go check (in hopes of being able to wear a few someday:bored:). We’ve moved seven times since we’ve been married (I was a bean pole then 5'9"/132#...I've lost and inch and gained a ton), and yep, I got rid of clothes every time we moved …and yeah, my college daughter has permanently borrowed some of my better skinny clothes…and yep, we give clothes to charity every year…so WHY do I still have so many sizes?:party: OK, I’ve done the yo-yo thing for decades (obvious from my closet) and, let’s see, the lowest I’ve been in this decade was 160#, but even then, I wore a size 16 on a skinny day. So WHY do I still have size 10’s hanging in my closet??!!!:confused: I actually have at least one pair of every size between 10-2x (that’s 14 different sizes). OK, I try to buy “Longs” when I can find them, and they’re so hard to find I’ve had a hard time giving them up (saved mostly a few dress ones or jeans)…but GET REAL, size 10’s!??:huh2: Do you know how much DUST:blushing: was on the top of that pants hangar? I’ve always carried my weight in my lower half…I think I was barely in a size 10 when I was 130#! So there’s my new end goal…I’ll even settle for a 10/12 with an elastic waistband…wow, doesn’t seem even possible! :thumbup: Well, at least my pants are all sorted by size now…next year I plan to start working my way down that rack!:glare:

OK, after noting my lack of pants that fit yesterday (see previous blog) it got me thinking about how many sizes I’ve kept over the years. I decided to go check (in hopes of being able to wear a few someday:bored:). We’ve moved seven times since we’ve been married (I was a bean pole then 5'9"/132#...I've lost and inch and gained a ton), and yep, I got rid of clothes every time we moved …and yeah, my college daughter has permanently borrowed some of my better skinny clothes…and yep, we give clothes to charity every year…so WHY do I still have so many sizes?:cursing: OK, I’ve done the yo-yo thing for decades (obvious from my closet) and, let’s see, the lowest I’ve been in this decade was 160#, but even then, I wore a size 16 on a skinny day. So WHY do I still have size 10’s hanging in my closet??!!!:blushing: I actually have at least one pair of every size between 10-2x (that’s 14 different sizes). OK, I try to buy “Longs” when I can find them, and they’re so hard to find I’ve had a hard time giving them up (saved mostly a few dress ones or jeans)…but GET REAL, size 10’s!??:biggrin: Do you know how much DUST:blushing: was on the top of that pants hangar? I’ve always carried my weight in my lower half…I think I was barely in a size 10 when I was 130#! So there’s my new end goal…I’ll even settle for a 10/12 with an elastic waistband…wow, doesn’t seem even possible! :thumbup: Well, at least my pants are all sorted by size now…next year I plan to start working my way down that rack!:wink: