3636millie

Stoongal, Glad you are home and doing well! I can't wait to hear about your trip and surgery.

Ky.hen, my thoughts and prayers are with you today. Stoon, how are you doing? How is everybody doing that has been sleeved this week? Haven't heard anything (might have missed it though as can't check the board much during the week). Just know that I have been thinking of you all. Congratulations to all of you on the next phase of your weight loss journey/new life. Tiffykins, glad you are now with your sweetie. Treasure each moment. Have a great time making memories. Cajun/Attitude free, sounds like you are both doing fantastic! I am so excited for you.

YEAH!!!!!!! :biggrin0::biggrin0::biggrin0:

Please, don't give up. I am currently banded but scheduled for the sleeve in December. Even with insurance, I ended up having to borrow almost 10,000 when I got the band as the surgeon I used had "fees" which were not covered (the "fees" included 3 years "support", etc Bull Shit). Anyway, I too felt I couldn't afford it but got a loan anyway and was worried about making the payments. HOWEVER.... I forgot that my grocery bill would be less as I was eating less. Then about 2 weeks after surgery was taken off all my medication which was costing several hundred dollars a month even with co-pay. Needless to say, from the savings I have been able to more than meet my monthly payments. In fact, instead of the 4 years to pay it off, I will be done this month which is 16 months. Have you thought about going to Mexico? That is where I am going for the sleeve. It is going to cost me $12,500 for revision from the stinking band to the sleeve. If you are just sleeve, it is cheaper. I will be borrowing all the money to have the revision. There are several loan companies who make medical loans. The one I used for the banding was Care Credit. They seem all right. They will not cover the surgery in Mexico. I am borrowing the money from family. I am still in the process of trying to have my insurance pay part of the proceedure as they will pay 70% out of network. It is alot of work but hopefully will pan out. Call your insurance (if you have it) and ask if they will pay for any part of the procedure to be done out of the country. They may do it if your physician will write a letter that the sleeve would be the best option for you and you can back his letter up with research on why the sleeve should not be considered experimental, etc etc etc. JUST DON'T GIVE UP AND DON'T SETTLE ON THE BANDING. PLEASE,PLEASE, PLEASE.....DON'T GET THE BAND.

It has Whey Protein Isolate, Citric Acid, Natral and Artificial flavors, Soy Lecithin, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, FD&C Yellow #5, Yellow #6. It has no Aspartame. 1 scoop has 100 calories, 1 gm carb, 24 g protein. Hope this helps. The SoBe 0 Calorie lifewater is sweetened with PureVia (stevia). The gogi melon flavor and fuji apple pear (basically all flavors but these are my 2 favorites) are really good. The apple pear one tastes just like you are eating a fresh juicy pear. Hope this helps.

Mac, great idea!!!!! I work alot of hours during the week so weekends are really the only time I can set and enjoy this site. 1) Weekend plans: Today a group of us from work are gonna go tubing on the Colorado River (we live in Yuma AZ and by the time the Colorado gets here it isn't so deep and fast running). Tomorrow a bunch of us are gonna go see the new Jennifer Anniston movie. 2) Challenges: Dealing with some of the crazy assed Doctors I work with. My biggest challenge continues to be dealing with this crazy band. I can't wait till I become a true sleeve sister on 12/19!!!! 3) Small victory: Went 2 days without having difficulty getting Protein shakes down!!! OMG, I even had a little cream of mushroom soup!!!!!!! 4) Happy: Had state inspection at work. They liked some of policies and proceedures I had written and took copies of some of them to give to other facilities for examples. Today I am really, really happy that it is so beautiful outside. The sky is a brilliant blue. Also happy that people on this board (Mac, Vegas, OregonDaisy, Stoongirl, Cajun, Attitudefree, Tiffykins, etc, etc) are all here and such a great help to everyone.

Thanks Stoongal and Lan2K!!!!

Donna-Sorry it took me so long to answer. I work 60-80 hrs/wk so am not home much. I bought Nutria brand hempseed. It was 10 oz bag for $12.89. Where do you get yours? Do they have a web site? It seems like this is a little expensive but it did seem to help keep me from getting so hungry. It really makes my oatmeal taste good though and I want to make it a regular in my diet. Oatmeal is one of the few "real" foods that I can eat. Thanks for such a good tip!! Lan2K. I have a fruit Protein drink I drink that is really good. It is 4EverFit Tropical Mango. It can be ordered online at netrition.com. I mix it with half frozen SoBe life Water that is the almost the same flavor and some water. It isn't too bad and makes a nice change from the "chocolaty, vanilla, strawberry" flavors. There is a CranRazz flavor that I have but haven't tried it as it just came yesterday.

Stoon, I went to the local health food store and they had some of the hemp harts. They also had a Protein powder made out of hemp, peas, etc. Tried them both right away. They were really good. Had the hemp hearts in some oatmeal. Later in the day tried the Protein Powder. Yummy!!! Thanks for the tip. You rock. Good luck on your surgery on the 28th.

Oh.... Tiffy, I am so sorry. Please know I am thinking of you and wish there was something that would make it better.

Daisy, I have been thinking about what to say to you for several days. I just can't think of anything else but to say I am soooo sorry for your losses. Please remember the good times, this may help a little. It is hard but remember that Abby is probably running through a field of wild daisies chasing butterflies now. She may even be helping your father through this next stage of his new life. I am a firm believer that when we pass on from this life that we go on to something else that is bigger and better. Just take care of yourself as I'm sure that is what they would both want.

Where did you find this? Is is sweet?

Attitudefree, good luck. I will be thinking of you Monday. Keep us updated. I am so excited for you. Cajun, aren't you also scheduled soon? My thoughts are with you also as you start your new life.

Orchid, I'm not sure where you are at in your dietary process but when I was able to eat real food, I found Buffalo (Bison) burger really good. It is low in fat and higher in Protein than most other red meat. You just can't cook it to pieces so to speak because it is so lean it tends to dry out quickly when cooking. Anyway, it is something a little different and is great in chili in which the Beans also provide additional protein. Good luck on your weight loss journey!

Ohhh...........Daisy, I so totally agree.

Thanks Vegas!

Thanks Ky.hen. I am so glad you will get the sleeve to begin with. Have you been to see Dr. Aceves yet or will you meet him when you get there for your surgery day? If you haven't, rest assured, you will be impressed. He has helped me survive the last few months after my original surgeon in Phoenix basically blew me off. I have taken many of my nurse friends with me to Mexicalli and they are so impressed. The hospital is immaculate. Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos (they both see me when I go) are so kind and gentle. Their sterile technique is impeccable (puts the ones I went to in Phoenix to shame). Anyway, just know that I will keep you in my thoughts on the 1st.

Thanks Tiffykins. By the way, I loved your "welcome home outfit"! Give him a hug and a thanks from me. I treasure all of our service men and women.

DownInSoCal, I just got my date yesterday. It will be 12/18/09. I can't wait but I'm really nervous. I can't wait to get rid of this band before it kills me but on the other hand, I am a big chicken!!!!

Oregondaisy, Thank you for the information. I am so nervous but also excited. I can't imagine what it will be like to go to sleep and not wake up with a mouth full of acid, be able to eat in public without fear of hurling in the blink of an eye, etc. I have already got my list going of what I should take to Mexicali with me from reading everyone's posts. I forgot to check the electrical outlets at the hospital. Do they have the same outlets? Didn't know if I need to take converters for the heating pad or not. Thanks!

Sorry to trouble you all but I finally have the date for my revision (12/18/09-Dr Aceves-I have insurance that would have paid for an American surgeon to do the revision but Dr. Aceves is my guy even though I will be self pay as insurance doesn't pay for out of country surgeons) and now have some questions. I know I should probably ask the surgeon but considering that some of you have undergone the revision maybe you can be of assistance so I don't have to bother him: 1) Will he go through the previous incisions from where they went for the lap band? 2) I am going for an emergency unfill as I haven't been able to eat anything and barely able to get my Protein shakes down (no, I didn't start out being too tight, my last fill was done under fluroscopy and was not even close to being "too tight". 3 weeks later BAM! Too tight. This has happened over and over again) Should I get a complete unfill or just a partial? For those who had the revision, what did you do? Get a complete unfill a couple of weeks/a month before surgery or did you go into the revision surgery with Fluid in your band? 3) I am scared shitless. I am just worried that revising to the sleeve will just be trading one set of problems for another. I have had such a horrible experience with the band. For those of you that were having horrible band issues, how did you "wrap your head around" going through another weight loss surgery without knowing the outcome? Thanks to all who post on this site. I read each posting every day and believe me, you have kept me going through this horrible band experience. Just knowing that there are other people out there that have been through the same thing makes it more bearable. .

O.K. Well to make it short as I could go on and on about what happened to me.............Ditto to what Natalie said. I did well after receiving the band until about Feb of this year (had lost 85 lbs). I had always had pain in the abdomen around where the port site was every time I did anything requiring use of the abdominal muscles. I had always had pressure type pain in the esophageal area, even after having had nothing to eat or drink for several hours. In short, I was never able to forget that I had a foreign object in my body making me miserable every day. The feeling of something not being quite right has been with me basically 24/7 since the original surgery. I was willing to accept this as I felt that I was loosing weight and getting "healthier". In Febuary of this year, I developed severe chest pain one night and it was all down hill from there. Just prior to having this, I was having so much acid reflux for a couple of weeks that the skin around my lips felt like it was on fire 24/7. My teeth were rotting out due to the acid breaking down the enamel (I can't imagine what it was doing to my esophagus). Anyway, went to my original surgeon who took me to surgery for lysis of adhesions around the band. Since then, I have been unable to get a fill to reach restriction. I do not even have the amount of fill in my band that I did before the second surgery (only 4.5 ml in a 10 ml band). Every time I try to get a fill to get the magical "sweet spot" that I heard everyone talking about, I develop severe pain with the first swallow of any thing, including Water. I have this problem even when there is no Fluid in the band. Have had multiple different x ray exams, etc. Had a slight slip which corrected after an unfill. Have been diagnosed as having esophageal spasms after all the x rays. The spasms happen as soon as the first swallow of water or what ever I try to swallow rounds the bend from my mouth into my throat. These spasms feel like someone is shoving a knife down my throat. Then it feels like someone slugs me in the epigastric area with their fist. This happens simultaneously as the food rounds the bend. The original surgeons had placed me on Prevacid in the AM and Pepcid in the PM, with Maalox/Mylanta between times for the reflux. I would take the Maalox/Mylanta 4-5 times a day. Much to my dismay, several months after the second surgery, I developed nausea with vomiting and diarrhea pretty much after attempting to eat anything. Went to my original surgeons office and their response was "you should be happy that you have lost 85 lbs" while demanding that I put my purse down and get up on the table so they could do an unfill. The nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea went on for about 5 weeks. The only way I could make it through the day was getting I.V. fluids pretty much every couple of days (I am a nurse at a surgery center so every couple of days when I was looking like I was about to die one of the surgeons would write me a prescription for IV fluid therapy and my co workers would hang an IV on me). Believe me, I did everything by the book to make this thing work. I would chew any food I was able to get down into liquid form, obeyed the no drinking rules, no eating for 3 hours before bed rules, etc, etc, etc, etc blah, blah, blah........... (That is why i got so pissed when I read on another post in the lap band talk that a "nurse" said that most people have problems with the band because they are not doing what they were supposed to do-bull shit..........). I had posted several times on the lapband site and Wasa came to my rescue. She literally saved my life. I will be forever grateful to her and so very much miss her contributions to the site. Anyway, through her I met Dr. Aceves. She also told me about band intolerance. I went to Dr. Aceves. He took me off all the antacids. Stated that I had basically probably wiped out all the normal acid in the stomach and that the food was basically rotting in my stomach before being digested as the acid was not there to help in the digesting of it. This pretty much cured the vomiting and diarrhea issue. I am at least able to eat now but still have the severe pain with any thing as soon as it "rounds the bend". I still am unable to go out to eat with anyone and need to set close to a bathroom as I never know when with the first swallow I will spew (yes, this is even after I have chew, chew, chewed-I swear to god if I hear this one more time-I do chew, chew, chew. Do people think I enjoy the severe pain with swallowing every day? How can I chew water? Jesus). These are only a very few issues that I have had with the band. If I listed every one of them it would take all day. These are just the "highlights" so to speak. I am so looking forward to the day when I get my sleeve. I can not live the rest of my life like this. I want to lead a normal life again. I am not afraid of the sleeve like some people are as I know that they have been doing partial gastrectomies for years. Believe me, I am not just counting the days but also the hours. I want to thank everyone who posts here daily (VegasAngel, Oregon Daisey, Mac, Ruthi, etc). Just reading your posts and tips gives me hope.

Natalie, Thank you so much for your story. I swear to god, I thought I was reading my own story. You and Wasa are an inspiration for me. I was banded 05/08. I have $400 left to pay for my band surgery and then I will go in debt again to get the sleeve. I am so sick of being miserable. Hopefully, I will be able to get a revision before the end of the year with Dr. Aceves. He and Dr. Campos have been a god send for me in trying to make the band tolerable until I can afford to switch as I received no help from my original surgeon in Phoenix. Fortunately, I only live about an hour drive away from Dr. Aceves and can get there easilly for a "bail out" to keep me going for a time. It is too damn bad that so many people are getting sucked into the banding.

Hi! I am a frequent "lurker" as I am currently banded. I am planning on getting the sleeve just as soon as I pay off getting the band (Hope to get the ball rolling to get the sleeve in Dec/Jan). I will be going to Dr. Aceves for the sleeve. I have already been to see him several times with my band and he has been wonderful. He literally saved my life as my surgeon in Phoenix nearly killed my arse......(have band intolerance). Any way, I found this great tasting calcium/magnesium citrate liquid that has a blueberry flavor at the local Vitamin World shop today. I saw the above posts and went to Vitacost.com. They have it there for about 1/3 the price I paid. It is called Lifetime liquid calcium/magnesium citrate 750 mg. It looks like there are several other flavors, if you don't like blueberry. It has 4 gm of carbs, 200 IU of D3, 750 mg of Calcium citrate, and300 mg of Magnesium. Hope this helps.

Oops, I forgot to add to the above. If your family gives you a hard time, just direct them to this website and let them research Dr. Aceves. Or just print the information you have found about him and let them read it. If they are still having a cow, just remember, it is your body. They will get over it. Take care and best wishes!