coltonwade

I just started taking some that my doc recommended. Its not some they "peddle" in the office but he likes them and they are for WLS patients. The Calcium tastes SO Good , they have a chocolate flavor that tastes like solid hot chocolate mix. The Multivitamin is a strawberry flavor and they are great. I take the Mulitband and the Calcium BBVitamins.com HTH Mindy

Oh you are so sweet. Thank you for your kind words. If you need anything, support, someone one to talk to or have any questions feel free to email me . Mindy

Spaghetti sauce with Melted cheese alone is GREAT on mushies .. If you do not like ricotta or cottage cheese. Also another good subsitite for pasta is spaghetti squash , Add a little sauce and cheese and it tastes JUST like the real thing !!

Erosion is not necessarily a doctors fault. Some of these complications are just things that "happen" and no one "NEEDS" TO be sued . its a chance you take with this . Most of the timei would say our SOL on the costs and you have to pay for them . what is the story with your erosion ? Mindy

My doc told me at my pre op appt that I should be able to eat anything i want with no problem as long as I follow the rules , that with the exception of being too tight from a fill people get stuck and PB from their own fault. And after being banded now I would have to agree with him . Everytime I have been stuck or PBed its been my own fault ! So i Agree w/ Denise Mindy

Everyone is different, Some people can eat Pasta some can not. I know someone who has been banded for over 2 yrs , can eat ANYTHING and has NEVER been Stuck or PBed. Also eventually , as you see from some of the veteran bandsters IF there is something you can not eat , its not that big of a deal . food eventually just becomes FOOD . Eventually food is something you eat to live not live to eat . You start to look at it differently . I know right now it seems like not eating this or that is a big deal ( and It is a big deal in the beginning ) but It will slowly turn for you . At least it has for me and i know it has , does for others as well. I for the most part have not ate carbs since my pre op diet and feel A LOT better since not doing it . I do eat them on occasion but not often . And i do feel better since Not eating them on a regular basis. I dont crave as much crap ! . Good luck dont focus so much on what you cant or might not be able to eat and focus on healing and what your going to eat that will be so great for you ! mindy

OHH thanks , Your off to a great start ! your doing awesome so far. I am having some scale issues right now , I have yet to hit a plateau and I am 5 pds away from 100 lbs lost and want to get there before my 1 yr mark and NOW ive either hit a plateau or something ? It is about that TOM so im hoping once that's over my scale moves. I usually either gain or stop losing around that time. I wanted to be at goal by July , my 1 yr mark but I dont think that's gonna happen . Your gonna be great Alice ! your off to a great start Mindy

Aww your only 7 weeks out of surgery ? Its probably just Swelling still from surgery . Mine is from the loss of fat around my stomach . It looks very odd . Sorry i missed your 7 weeks out . The port site takes the longest to heal . So i dont think its anything unusual . Mindy

Are you SURE its where your port is ? I thought at first my port was right where my incision was ( My largest incision ) and its not , its lower. But the bulge is just a wee bit lower than the port incision . Also where the port incision is is a little hard and that's from scar tissue. Does that make sense ? My "Bulge " Does not go all the way around its just in one area. Do you want me to take a picture ? Mindy

I have a bulge on my left side by my port but its not my port. its around where my incision for my port is. I Asked my doc about it , he said its the fat redistributing in my stomach , Its quite large looks like the size of a golf ball I think ? if you have one make sure its not a hernia fist but I know others who have it so I think its quite common . Mine is not hard ! Mindy

Artificial sweeteners are a BIG No no for me too . Even before being banded . Mindy

I have IBS and prior to surgery Only had the IBS that had diahrea . Since being banded I have what my mother has and its a combo of Constipation and Diahrea . I spoke to my doc about it and he wants me to try to eat more Fiber in my diet before trying me on meds. I have to really watch this right now , My mother has IBS and was hospitalized a few yrs ago with an upper and lower bowel obstruction that almost killed her. Although it was probably not All IBS related it was a contributing factor. SO The doc wants me to really watch it for now and try the best i can to regulate with Fiber , if not i'll have to go on meds. I find the gassiness worse since being banded HTH Mindy

Have you requested your fills be done under Flouro ? If your port is hard to find they should do it under flouro. There is no reason for you to be poked that many times. Mindy

To be honest with you I fully expect to have to have my band replaced at some point in time in my life. I do not expect it to last a life time. I look at it like breast implants. They last about 10 -15 yrs and need to be replaced. So if that happens I wont be shocked ! Mindy

That sounds like a very good idea . They might have forgotten what their requirements are , so you can remind them along with your paper work stating you have already fullfilled them !! Great idea Mindy

I hope your PCP finds someone too. Maybe shes got connections somewhere. But like WASA Said worst comes to worst you can go to the ER if someone seroius comes up . You are getting fills right ? So that's good. So things are "Sort" of covered for now . But I agree wiht you it would be best to find a doc to see you if you need them . Mindy

So what is someone suppose to do ? Besides go back to Mexico ? No chance of fiding after care in the US ? Mindy

In all reality i think this issue falls on the doctor mostly !! IMHO The docs and the docs offices deal with insurances enough and on a daily basis they KNOW what is required or is needed for the best chance of a patient getting approved. So if 6 months gets you a better shot then they should not even submit the paper work until 6 months. Does insurance suck . YES it does ! I cant even get it now cause im banded ( self employed) Insurances do need to be consistant I have never understood why one person gets it and another does not with the same situation ?

Dr Kirshenbaum is a good surgeon from what i hear and he's one of the cheapest in the US . Happens to be in Denver Lap Band Surgery in Denver Colorado | Lap Band Surgeon in Denver | Gastric Band Surgery Denver | Bariatric Surgery There are MANY Threads on here about him .. Here is one of the bigger ones http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f11/considering-dr-kirshenbaum-26213/ HTH Mindy

I think its the compliments that for me are uncomfortable. I dont know how to take them i guess ? I never have really . I have not been over weight all my life but have had self esteem issues though. But My weight LOSS is something different. I have NO Qualms at all about telling anyone any everyone that A. I had lap band surgery B. How much weight I have lost C. How much more i Have to go D . How long its taken me E anything else they want to know about surgery ! You should be VERY PROUD Of how much weight you have lost. SHOUT IT from the roof tops girl !! I Think you probably need to get use to attention . As over weight people we have tried SO Hard to draw attention AWAY from ourselves that when it suddenly is coming AT us it takes some getting use to . But EMBRACE IT !! You deserve it Love Mindy :cursing:

This is meant as no offense to anyone ... If I had to do 6 months of a diet to get my surgery paid for I gladly would have. I had to borrow money from my parents and take out a $8K loan to get my surgery paid for self pay . I would have waited 6 months hell even a yr to get the surgery paid for. My point ,, I KNOW IT seems like forever, I waited for a yr after I decided to have surgery until i could afford it . But look at it this way.. its better than having to shell out $12K Plus to do self pay ?? Good luck yall I hope it goes well . Mindy

Well Im not sure if i would call myself a success yet . But I have PCOS I was banded in July 07 and Im down 95 pds . I have gone from a size 22/24 to a 10/12 My doc just asked me this week for before and "now" pics for his website and i still have 30 pds to go . I was hoping to be there before my 1 yr annivesary but I'll make 100lbs by then for SURE . I will tell you this ... I went into this EXPECTING to lose SLOWLY very slowly actually due to the PCOS . I had no other expectations other than I WILL Loose the weight , it will take me time but I Will lose it . I have lost fairly quickly and for that I am grateful AND SURPRISED . I tell anyone with PCOS Or with out it. Go into this expecting to lose but expect to lose slowly or go in with NO Expectations or time frames. You can NOT compare yourself to anyone !!! If you do that you will NOT be dissapointed. TOO many times people email me or others and say " HOW have you lost im 6 months out and only lost so many pds . i am so mad " Dont do that to yourself. compare yourself to YOU . There are MANY woman on here that the band works for woman with PCOS. And i was sketpical . My thought process was " IF I cant loose with out the band how can i lose WITH The band " Frankly I still dont understand it but i dont care !! . HTH Mindy

I am sorry they are being a pain . is that the ONLY reason they denied you ? as frustrating at is it . Look at it this way . You can maybe do 3 more months or evne if you HAVE TO do 6 months then you will have your surgery ! maybe it was a mistake ? have you called the docs office ? Good luck Mindy

Sounds like you might be too tight ? I have heard this happening with people who are too tight before Mindy

its MUCH MUCH MUCH easier than that !!! Its similar to a blood draw ? But MUCH faster ? Mindy