ParrotheadCathy

I read an article on this today. TOGA, as it is called, is in clinical trials (not accepting any more patients for the trials). Basically, it is stomach stapling done from inside the stomach. There is a risk of esophageal damage because the device inserted through the esophagus into the stomach is about the diameter of a garden hose (has happened once so far in the trials). The article also said that after 18 months, patients had lost about 45% of their weight. Obviously, no long term statistics or information on long-term complications. They are uncertain whether this is truly an improvement over the old stomach stapling procedure. It sounds interesting in that there is no cutting. I'd imagine you might have a sore throat for a while afterwards. They have not yet applied for approval in the US because they have not completed clinical trials. It is being performed some in Europe, where approval procedures are less stringent.

Consider contacting a battered women's shelter. Many of these women come in with the clothes on their backs (along with their children). They have no job, etc. They need clothes like you're describing to go out job hunting. A women's shelter I give things to is ALWAYS looking for nice clothes for this purpose.

Sounds more like anesthesia after-effects to me. It's not like they touched your stomach in any way. A slip doesn't just happen; something has to cause it. I'd call the plastic surgeon that did the lipo and ask if he can prescribe something for the problem.

On the news today, here in Atlanta, there was a piece that local food banks are struggling on a daily basis to keep up with the demand. They have set up a day in Atlanta (June 19) where you can drop off all donations at Publix grocery stores. I will add my 75 pounds (yeah, I'm only down 63 and a smidge but who's counting?)!

Millie, this is an ethics violation by your surgeon's office. I would report it to the medical board. I mean, this is so against several laws that their office is supposed to disclose its privacy policy on an annual basis. As for finding a new doctor, I can't help much (I'm in Atlanta, GA) but I would think if you explained to another surgeon's office that your surgeon's office violated the HIIPA Act and you don't feel comfortable going back there that they would be more amenable to seeing you. GOOD LUCK!!

I would check with my surgeon's office. I know there are other Rxs for reflux that work in a different way (proton pump inhibitor, like Aciphex) and Nexium.

Lisa's right .... the food is good BUT they are preparing food for so many people that it has to be prepared in advance and heated so it's not going to be "hot off the stove". I had no problems as long as I chewed stuff well. I did have to take a sip of water a few times to get a bite adequately moist to swallow.

Carnival has a "spa menu" at dinner each night that is very diet friendly. They do come around and try to serve you bread before the meal and I always reject it. They also have a few items that are on the menu every night if nothing else suits you .... grilled fish, steak. Norwegian's dinner menu was simliar though there was not a section entitled "spa menu", there were healthy choices. Both of these lines as well as most if not all others, have a buffett for Breakfast which I highly recommend over going to the main dining room and sitting down because those are set meals, while the buffet lets you take only want you want. There will be eggs, grits or oatmeal, toast of several types, sausages (sometimes, chicken sausage even), fresh fruit, skim milk, juices. lunch on sea days there is also a buffet available, the size will depend on your ship. There will be a variety of food and you can take one item from any area. There will likely be roasted something (turkey, beef, pork loin) being carved, a salad bar (with lite italian and possibly lite ranch -- don't be above taking your preferred salad dressing with you on the cruise, LOL) The problem lies in things like 24-hour availability of pizza, midnight buffets, burgers, dogs and fries out by the pool, soft-serve ice cream nearly 24 hours a day, and the bars. This is where you have to exercise your willpower. Go to the shows at night and just don't go back to the midnight buffet, where the biggest temptations lie. I've been on many cruises and this was was just over a month after surgery. I did fine. Gained 2 pounds which turned out to be Water because I lost it within 24 hours of getting home.

Dump the doc...he sounds like a pompous jerk who doesn't want to work with you. Make an appointment with someone else to evaluate your problems. Get a second opinion! Then decide what you want to do based on that second opinion as well as the first. You'll have to go with your gut instinct on this one. Jachut hit the nail on the head! You need a doctor to work with you, not point a finger at you.

A** kickings are not a service we offer here. :frown: Start again with activity. The weather is so nice now, just go out and walk as much as you can. Start tracking your food. Be brutally honest with yourself on what you are eating. Yeah, that's the hardest part usually. Then, you might consider asking if you can move up the appointment for that fill. You say you have 5 ccs in a 15cc band...that's not necessarily a lot of restriction. Perhaps a fill of even 1cc would make a difference. And it might take more than that, so I would go ahead and make an appointment for another fill as soon as they will allow you to have one. Okay, yeah, you may find you don't need it but you can cancel it closer to that date AND the fact that you have the appointment, will have to get on their scale and face the music, good or bad, may help you get back on track as well. Never discount accountability! Good luck and let us know how you're doing!

Melissa, a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is considered elective surgery and therefore not covered. Having said that, if you have problems with the panniculus (that "apron" that hangs over) causing chronic skin infections in the area where skin surface touches skin surface, it can become medically necessary and then insurance would cover it. There have been posters who have had it and gotten insurance coverage. I don't know how easy/difficult it is to prove the medical necessity and get it approved.

To me, and this is of course just my opinion, she was very unprofessional! Her job, for which she is paid, is to care for patients -- NOT BULLY THEM. You should complain to the head of the nursing department or the ER department at the hospital.

Not every doctor drains bands after testing before they place them. I have seen posts on here and on another forum where people leave the operating room with 5ccs or 6ccs in their bands! So that poster may be one of those who has some saline already in their band and has never felt the need for more.

That's pretty strict! Glad mine was more relaxed. apple juice, white grape juice, chicken broth, beef broth (maybe?), SF Jello, SF popsicles, crystal light in your Water, K20 Protein Water (never drank this but it does have some protein which might help a little bit with hunger).

You can email me at parr0thd51@aol.com I'm at work and can check my email occasionally, and then home at 7:00 eastern time.... cathy

Pre-op diets vary DRAMATICALLY from doctor to doctor. What is on your list? maybe someone will have suggestions based on that.

Compared to yours, my pre-op diet was much more liberal...included two real meals a day. How about cream soup, like cream of tomato or cream of chicken or cream of mushroom?

After effect of anesthesia. It will go away.

SF yogurts. How much protein is in Carnation Instant Breakfast? Perhaps buy protein shake powder with a higher protein content, mix with skim milk and see if that doesn't stave off hunger better than Instant Breakfast.

Well, insurance won't cover removal unless there is a medical necessity (and still it might not if it didn't cover placing it in the first place). That said, My surgery to have the band put it was $15,000 so that would be a ballpark number to start with. Can't fathom removing it unless it's causing you problems because you'll end up regaining everything you've lost but good luck with your decision.

The hernia repair would explain a great deal! You already had a bit more pain that a lap band patient who didn't have a hernia. Add a cough to that and, yeah, it would hurt! You might ask your doc for a more potent cough medicine for night time, at least. There are several with codeine in the syrup that really surpress a cough.

Basic anatomy....your heart and lungs are separated from your abdomen by the diaphragm. When you cough, the diaphragm is involved. Since the esophagus passes through the diaphragm (that's where hiatal hernias are located, where the esophagus passes through the diaphragm), you feel the effort in the general area of your stomach, but your stomach isn't making you cough. Botton line: a chronic cough is miserable but it shouldn't hurt your band.

Many will numb before the fill. That's still a needle and it stings a little. Frankly, doing it without numbing isn't a big deal. It's still just one needle and it's a poke but not the stinging.

Most insurance doesn't look at the number of pounds to lose....they look at your BMI. Most have the requirement of 40 with no co-morbidities but will approve a lover BMI (seems to vary between 35 and 37 with 2 co-morbidities -- HBP, Type II diabetes, sleep apnea and, perhaps, high cholesterol. Be aware they may also require that you have been at a BMI for a specific period of time. The best thing you can do is to call your insurance and ask what their requirements are for approval. You may find that you BMI has to be 40 for 3 years which wouldn't do you any good at all. You might find out that you already qualify. Even if two people are insured by the same company, their coverage is likely to not be the same because they are insured by their employers, who have negotiated their policy and each policy is different.

yeppers....that's pretty typical. You probably have or will have some others as well. It's from all the tugging and moving around of the various instruments through the little holes the doc makes.