Stacy160

I've used nothing but Bare Escentuals for six years and I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it. No cream or liquid yuk will ever touch my face again.

Not just naked, but bone-dry with an empty digestive system!

For HER?? Not only no, but HELL no.

I don't want to be a downer here, but in looking at more long-term studies out of Europe, it's not real encouraging. Many doctors who were initially really big on the band are now abandoning it because of long-term complications and failure... it's enough to make me decide to pursue other avenues, especially being potentially self-pay.

No nobody freak, I'm JUST researching for the moment... but does anyone know of any Michigan Drs. performing the MINI-gastric bypass?

OH! And do you know offhand what HAP's requirements are? Don't go digging for them unless you already know, I'll find out in a few months anyway. Thanks!

Peyton Manning Matthew McConaughey/Sawyer (from Lost...toss-up for 2nd) Ken Watanabe/The Rock (it's a toss-up for 3rd)

Nancy, thank you! It looks like we're not changing until April 1st (nobody at this company really has a clue what's going on, including the people supposedly in charge of this). Maybe you can answer another question for me: If my primary Dr. is affiliated with a HAP hospital where the lap band procedure is not performed, will HAP pay for me to go to a DIFFERENT HAP hospital where it is? Thanks! :welldone:

OH, the vision thing too! I'd forgotten about that. My vision, even though I had LASIK 9 years ago, is blurry when I'm carbing out. When I low carb, it clears right up.

I was surprised a few years ago (I was single at the time) when I found myself almost unable to look away from the face of a man working in an outdoors store. He was probably 6'2" and pushing 300 lbs, but he was GORGEOUS. Irish looking with the bright blue eyes, almost black hair, perfect smile, and seemed easy-going and very friendly on top of everything else... I was so disappointed when he turned around and I saw the wedding ring!

Looks like our new insurance plan this year will be HAP. They do cover WLS, but I don't yet know if OUR plan includes it. Has anyone had HAP cover this, and if so, what hoops did you have to jump though to get it done? Thanks!

I asked this in another "port" thread but it was kind of buried and I don't think anyone saw it. The other day I felt someone's port and was surprised by the size and hardness of it. Does that get uncomfortable during s-e-x?? Hell honestly I don't care if it does... it'll be worth it if it help me even feel not too gross for it anymore...

That would be the problem. I used to work for a plastic surgeon who did the tattooing, and the eyes always looked great, and even when it began to fade it didn't look unnatural. The lips, on the other hand... I wouldn't do it. Even if it looks OK at first it won't stay that way and you'll ALWAYS have to wear color over the top of it to avoid looking freakish. Go for the eyes though!

I had the same thing happen last night too, it showed 30 people in the main chat and another 20 people elsewhere but I couldn't raise a response anywhere. There must be a fix for that problem (showing people still there then they've left)... have any Admins contacted the forum people about it?

Hi Bob! Who did your surgery, and where? And how ya feeling?

Hi Rick! You've lost 142 lbs. since AUGUST??? Holy cow LOLOL!! That's awesome, congratulations!! Do a search on "Pleatman", or just flip through the Michigan threads here. Dr. Pleatman isn't too far north of you (Bloomfield? Rochester? Something like that) and he takes patients who have been banded elsewhere. I have not met him personally but he's been very helpful and informative through PMs, and the patients here who have been banded by him just rave about him. Nice to have you here!

That is TOTALLY me. If I'm low-carbing I NEVER have reflux... otherwise, I'm taking Pepcid every night and sometimes chasing it with Pepto Bismol. Atkins is the only, ONLY diet that's ever worked for me (35 lbs, leaving still 50 lbs to go--back then), but, I don't know if you had the same problem, I get so BORED eating the same things all the time... meat, eggs, cheese, the same low-starch veggies. Once I slip, that's it. Like you said, MONTHS at a time. Atkins is actually not dangerous... I used to think so, until I read the book, and it makes perfect sense. I'm hoping that banding, which pretty much necessitates a low-carb regimen, will be the answer to once and for all getting ALL the weight off and not gaining it back. I absolutely LOVE Atkins and the way it makes me feel, but I just cannot stick to it for a meaningful length of time.

FORTY pounds in three months?? I'd say you're doing exceptionally well, and congratulations!!

Isn't that horrible? I look at myself in the mirror and think "Well you don't look THAT bad..." but then, seeing myself in pictures? OMG!! It is horrifying to see that my face and neck are blending into one large white blob. My arms are huge... I have no waist anymore, that was the last thing to go (I even had a waist from the back when I was pregnant), and God forbid anyone takes a picture of be from behind. Then there's the fact that I feel like crap physically and mentally, that I know, from family history, what's coming if I DON'T do something about it. And oh yeah -- all those failed diets. If I hear "Just eat less and exercise more" one more time, someone's gonna die LOL... if it was that easy, would any of us be here now? I feel like banding is my last chance at being able to enjoy what a wonderful life I have, and aside from my weight getting in the way of everything, it really is great. I want this soooooooo bad!

Yesterday I spoke with a patient who we've been seeing for 3 months, who just happened to mention her LB to our receptionist. I had no idea... anyway the receptionist told her I was looking into it also, so I caught up with her yesterday to talk about it. When she showed me her port site and let me feel it, I was really surprised by the size and hardness of it... I guess I expected a little bump, if anything, and that it would be squishy, more like a pliable plastic bulb. My question is... well how do I put this. Does it interfere with um... relations?? It won't stop me from having it done, but that would stink LOL... Thanks!

That's good to know, gadgetlady... I've been wondering about that too: What if? If it takes a long time for stuff to go DOWN, what happens when it tries to come back UP? Does it blow out the band, injure the stomach? Then I remembered that there wouldn't be much in the way of stomach contents in there anyway, so it's probably not a huge issue... is that right? It's a kind of scary thought.

OK... let's have People do a followup on them in another 5 years and see where they are then.

This is great info you guys, thanks! The more I hear, the more impressed and hopeful I am. I'd much rather fill slowly as well and avoid as much of the yucky stuff as possible, and I have no problem sticking to the post-op diet if it keeps everything neat and tidy where it belongs with no complications! I've watched my aunt sabotage TWO gastric bypasses (first stomach stapling, then RNY) and I'm not gonna follow in her footsteps, that's for sure. Please, please with the insurance LOL...

Thank you Josette!! I think that they'll be the first ones I talk to... I've done more checking and while we STILL don't have any paperwork for the new insurance, I've found more stuff online that indicates that it may be covered with them. IF it's not... do you happen to know what their self-pay cost is? (Almost afraid to ask...) Thanks!

The entire soundtrack to "Twister" (the tornado movie) is excellent for alleviating treadmill boredom!!