btrieger

Thanks! You look great and you are doing a good job. Checking in here will keep you on track. You can gain inspiration from the success folks and remind yourself where you came from with the newer ones.

Sounds like you are falling into the same trap I have many times. Becoming complacent after losing a bunch of weight and reverting right back to my old ways. This is exactly the reason I am getting the lapband. I am hoping it will keep me from reverting back. May I ask how you are slipping if you've got good restriction?

Where are you located? The larger metropolitan areas seem to have countless bariatric centers and surgeons.

Stay away from sick kids! If you catch the flu or some other disease kids carry you could end up coughing so hard you tear a stitch or pop a staple.

If that is your only fear, get over it. There are many on this site that Lapband doesn't work for. With most of them it is because they aren't willing to work with it. They either think that the lapband is a magic pill that instantly makes them skinny no matter what they eat. The others go into it with a "dieting" mindset. It is not a diet, diets end. You have to modify your eating habits for the rest of your life and it doesn't have to hurt. You can eat most of the same things you enjoy eating now, only less of them. I'll probably be banded the same week as you and I've done enough research to know that the lapband works for almost everybody that is ready for it. And, look at the bright side; if it doesn't work, there's alway by-pass. :smile:

Anybody that says "none of this, none of that" does not know anything about a proper diet. There are no bad foods when eaten in moderation. The holidays are almost over. It will be much easier soon. You don't have to kill yourself on a diet. Just limit your portions and try to walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day. During the 6 month supervised diet do you have a monthly meeting with a nutritionist in the surgeon's office? They will give you much better advice that somebody telling to to eat no sugar or white things.

Comparing yourself to others. 4 pounds in 1 week is great! If it would make you feel better, I can dig up a half dozen recent posts where people said they gained weight the first week. Everybody is different and you can't base your weight loss on the experience of others.

Bariatric surgeon's have specialists in their office for dealing with insurance companies. Call a local bariatric surgeon and ask your questions to the person that answers. Many of them will answer simple questions without ever asking your name. If the questions are answered in a positive way you can make your appointment for initial consultation while you're on the phone. At the top of this page there is a tab to click for surgeons. Give one a call. It can't hurt.

If you don't like veggies, why juice? You get the missing Vitamins in pill and powder form.

Aetna only requires a 2 year history. Did you see a doctor in 2007 or 2008 at all? I had records from 2 doctor visits in 2008 and the lapband surgeon's office said my visits there would cover 2009.

Like the poster before me said. You don't have to tell the person pickling you up anything. Tell them you had a colonoscopy, that usually keeps follow up questions to a minimum. Or get a ride from a guy and tell him it was a female thing.

Don't beat yourself up. You enjoyed the holidays like a "normal" person. Next time try to keep it to one brownie. There are no bad foods when done in moderation.

The Bodybugg is currently selling for $199. This includes 1 phone coaching session and a 6 month subscription to their website. The Bodybugg armband gives a great estimate of how many calories you are burning. It does not measure how many calories you are consuming. You have to enter what you eat into the website for that. Then you upload the data from your Bodybugg to the website using a USB connection and it displays the information for you and calculates the difference in calories consumed verses expended. The web site is BODYBUGG :: WELCOME as far as I know it is the only place you can get a bodybugg. The other device that people are talking about here is made by the same people and also has a good reputation. Google both of them for specifics and reviews.

Last post from me on this thread. I deleted my post to be kind. Not because it might hurt your or anyone else' feelings. If your intent by reposting was to demonize or make me feel guilty, forget it. Enjoy your free ride.

There are no bad foods when done in moderation. I used to order 3 pizzas at a time. I'd eat 2 for dinner and the third cold for Breakfast. So, tell us, did it taste as good as it smelled? What kind of pizza? If you still feel guilty, go walk around the block a couple of times and you've done your penance.

I deleted my post. I may have gone over the line. Have a nice day.

The band didn't lose the weight. YOU DID! You can do it again. Log what you are eating and start walking a little more every day.

I'd call the insurance company and ask. The bariatric center could probably tell you as well. You can let them do the leg work.

I think these are questions for your insurance company. I'm sure that they all have their different ways of doing things. I was told by my surgeons office that Aetna and BCBS usually approve or deny within 3 weeks of submission.

I will be kind and not answer your idiotic questions.

I just barked at the first couple of people, "get away from me, I'm on a diet" and the rest got the hint. I don't have much of a problem with will power unless the Cookies and cakes are put right in my face and they were doing that.

If you are young enough to work, get a job. My tax dollar should not be paying for anybody's elective surgery. The waiting period for medicaid should be "wait until you get a job." I've never met anyone on public assistance that I wouldn't consider as abusing the system and unfortunately, I know too many. Self pays are 100 times better that any deadbeat on public assistance.

Congratulations and keep up the good work!! The positive testimonials here are very inspirational to the rest of us. Especially when you point out that you are doing all of the work and not treating the band like a magic pill.

The Bodybugg is only $200 and worth every penny of it!!!! It has helped me immensely. Counting calories makes no sense unless you know how many you are burning as well as eating. I'm dropping 3-5 pounds a week and haven't been doing what most would consider dieting. Nor have I been banded yet and I owe it all to the Bodybugg.

The supervised diet period is to accomplish multiple things: - shrink your liver. - lower the amount of fat around your stomach. - prove to the insurance company you are willing to change your eating and exercise habits. - prepare you to modify your eating habits for the rest of your life. 10% is far from extreme over a 3 - 6 month period. It is not difficult to lose a pound a week. Just cut 500 calories out of your daily diet or else eat the same thing and exercise 30 minutes more a day than usual. I think most surgeons have patients logging their daily caloric intake and exercise routines. Use these to make even the smallest changes every day. You can't get upset when you don't lose or when you gain a little but don't try to justify it either.