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Money-Saving Suggestions for Buying Samsung Toner Cartridges You can find heaps of who don't know even the application of Samsung toner cartridges. Also called a Samsung laser toner, they could be discovered inside laser printers. It is the half you will need to interchange on occasion. Should you own a printer, you will need to exchange the Samsung toner cartridges regularly. Throughout the lifetime of a printer, a individual will pay a more cash just for replacing Samsung laser toners than what had been the selling price with the printer. So isn't it a excellent concept to have some knowledge of a couple of strategies to save lots of on this expense? Buying in large quantities is usually a money-saving tactic; this is applicable in case of Samsung printer toner too. Buying these in bulk may be probably the most lucrative means of paying for these. Many businesses, primarily the on the web ones, offer replacements for a excellent price. Buying re-manufactured Samsung printer toner rather than going for the new ones is one of the most direct and easy routes 1 may take to save a handful of additional dollars. An individual can be assured that they are buying an extended-lasting product, since the quality of these cartridges is examined to ensure that they are functioning as intended. These units typically take much more or much less 10 minutes to install. Another costly mistake you can make is leaping to conclusions when you find printouts with streaks of ink throughout the paper. When this takes place, individuals believe that their Samsung toner has exhaust ink and go for replacement. The reality is that they presumably have some quantity of ink left. When this occurs, the cartridge wants to become eliminated and shaken a few occasions so as to obtain the residual ink to settle. This time another cartridge may very well be ordered because when the existing a single really has no ink, you have the brand new cartridge at hand, prepared to become installed. Purchasing appropriate Samsung toner cartridges is another way of saving money. These cartridges are built in this manner which they match the correct specs of the laser printer. Thus, an individual may choose from numerous diverse to save cash on printer equipment Today you need not take out time from the busy schedule to try to find a retailer that may provide you with such supplies. LaptopTraveller.com Can be a reputed website where it is possible to get every little thing you will need! These sellers interact with you on the web and hearken to all your queries to offer you with the best feasible deal. You needn't look for a second option once you call them. Are you prepared to economize?

Hi guys Its been awhile since my last post. My query is I got a 1 mil fill in Dublin this day last week which brought me up to 6 mils but this past week I have been unable to tolerate liquids or food. I have been barfing constantly and at times I vomited black mucus. My question is : Is this an overfill? And after a certain period of time will an overfill correct itself? This morning was the first day that I have been able to keep down a cup of tea. I dont really want to go for an unfill unless absolutely necessary but cannot live like this for much longer. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Does anyone know if you go to the nurse in Dublin does she always take out 2 mil or can you ask her to take out just half a mil??? Thanks Geri11

Hi, Congratulations on getting the band and your weight loss and welcome to the club. I had my surgery in November 2009 and live in London. I lost 7kgs in my first week also but I have found i slightly more difficult to get into a rhythm but I am still losing weight. Feel free to contact me if you have any queries or want to chat. RoniP

Stacey - maybe you should get a second opinion from one of the other surgeons - doesn't make sense for him to ask you to lose weight and come back if he is sure he won't operate on you. That's a long drive to just chat with him. Hope you feel better soon Sherri - doesn't sound fun. I can't really give you any advice since I am not sleeved and haven't had those symptoms. I'm jealous Riley - I want someone to make me dinner. I am also going back to journaling my food - I actually have to plan out the week ahead of time to show my group leader on Tuesday. We get to start eating one regular food meal a day starting Wednesday and it will consist of 4 oz protein and 1/2 c cooked vegetables. I'll be camping Thurs-Sat and I am planning on barbequing chicken breast and having canned green beans - bringing my new little food scale along. I came home with a headache - my division chief can be overbearing and demanding at times - somehow every afternoon this week he has wanted me to do something and wants it right now - but I have had trouble all week reaching the people I need to get the queries so I can analyze them. ugh. I broke down and ate a peanut butter cup this afternoon. Going to go on another bike ride tonight to work it off.

Hi Sher, I couldn't have lost it without the band, it's still a very surreal feeling, I can't believe that I actually did it. BUT am so proud of myself, after years of yoyo dieting... I'm well chuffed with results. I left Belfast Sunday for Dublin, arrived in Brussels Mon, op Tues out of hosp Wed flew home early Thurs morning - hope this helps those that were querying dates.

The Bob Mob!!! That is what the fan club can be called!! Tee hee. I am curious as to why my query about what is wrong with Subway was not answered on the post where Subway was touted as evil, but over on this thread. Christie--thanks for the nutritional info link. There are even more choices than I thought. Usually DH goes and picks it up for us. So I don't generally see the menu. Stacie--I find that each morning I have to reel my boobs back up into place...and mine are not that big. Gravity is cruel!

You're absolutely right and I'm not feeling particularly worried or upset about it. I may not even want it and/or I may be completely content with nothing but broth. But that still leaves me with the question of what do you do when different specialists tell you different things? Do you err on the side of caution and only eat things that are unanimously agreed upon by all specialists everywhere or do you pick one and follow their instructions? Variety is the spice of life and I would rather not give up something that I don't have to. One week, four weeks, 1 year or a lifetime... My dilemma is more than the one week and the one item... it's just what happened to be the initial focus of my query.

No idea about the muscle query - but there are several couple posting on here so maybe they can answer it. But congrats on your date! Good luck Kathy

Falsehoods About Health Care Big myths about the current debate August 14, 2009 . Analysis False: Government Will Decide What Care I Get (a.k.a. they won’t give grandma a hip replacement) This untrue claim has its roots in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the stimulus bill), which called for the creation of a Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research. The council is charged with supporting and coordinating research that the government has been funding for years into which treatments work best, and in some cases, are most cost-effective. Supporters of this type of research say it can provide valuable information to doctors, improving care and also lowering cost. Betsy McCaughey, a former Republican lieutenant governor of New York (and now a professing Democrat), wrote in an opinion piece that the government would actually tell doctors what procedures they could and couldn’t perform. The claim took off from there, popping up in chain e-mails and Republican press conferences. It’s not true. The legislation specifically says that the council can’t issue requirements or guidelines on treatment or insurance benefits: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 : Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the Council to mandate coverage, reimbursement, or other policies for any public or private payer. … None of the reports submitted under this section or recommendations made by the Council shall be construed as mandates or clinical guidelines for payment, coverage, or treatment. As for the health care bills themselves, the House’s H.R. 3200 sets up a center to conduct and gather such research within the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, an entity the CBO called “the most prominent federal agency supporting various types of research on the comparative effectiveness of medical treatments." Like the stimulus legislation, the bill states that: "Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the Commission or the Center to mandate coverage, reimbursement, or other policies for any public or private payer.’’ The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee bill (not yet released in its entirety) calls for a similar center that “will promote health outcomes research and evaluation that enables patients and providers to identify which therapies work best for most people and to effectively identify where more personalized approaches to care are necessary for others,” according to the summary of the bill. This claim also stems from a fear that the U.S. will institute a system like that of the U.K., where the government provides and pays for health care. But none of the bills now being debated in Congress call for such a system, and the president has said he doesn’t want nationalized or single-payer health care, as we’ve said several times. For more, see: "Doctor’s Orders?" Feb. 20 "Government-Run Health Care?" April 30 False: Private Insurance Will Be Illegal In July, Investor’s Business Daily published an editorial in which it claimed that H.R. 3200 would make private insurance illegal. But IBD was mistaken. It was citing the part of the bill that ensures people with individually purchased coverage don’t have to give up that coverage unless they want to. Under the House bill, people who want to buy new individual, nongroup coverage will have to purchase it through a new health insurance exchange. They can still buy private insurance – the exchange, in fact, would offer a range of private plans, in addition to a new federal health insurance option. However, those who were already buying their own insurance before the bill went into effect – about 14 million Americans – will have their plans grandfathered in. The part of the bill IBD cites doesn’t forbid insurers from issuing new plans. It says that new individual plans will not be considered grandfathered, and will have to be purchased through the exchange. "Private Insurance Not Outlawed" Aug. 13 False: The House Bill Requires Suicide Counseling This claim is nonsense. In an appearance on former Sen. Fred Thompson’s radio show, McCaughey also enthusiastically pushed the bogus claim that the House bill will require seniors to have regular counseling sessions on how to end their lives: McCaughey, July 16: The Congress would make it mandatory … that every five years, people in Medicare have a required counseling session that will tell them how to end their life sooner, how to decline nutrition, how to decline being hydrated, how to go into hospice care … all to do what’s in society’s best interest … and cut your life short. This is a misrepresentation. What the bill actually provides for is voluntary Medicare-funded end-of-life counseling. In other words, if seniors choose to make advance decisions about the type of care and treatments they wish to receive at the end of their lives, Medicare will pay for them to sit down with their doctor and discuss their preferences. There is no requirement to attend regular sessions, and there is absolutely no provision encouraging euthanasia. Of course, seniors who talk to their doctors about end-of-life care might well choose to discuss what types of life-saving treatment they wish to refuse. That choice has been federally guaranteed for almost 20 years. Doctor-assisted suicide, on the other hand, is legal in only three states, making it even more unlikely to be a major part of the federal health plan. Clarification, Aug. 18: We initially wrote that "euthanasia" was legal in three states. That term is often used to refer to "doctor-assisted suicide," but it has much broader implications than that. We’ve modified the sentence above accordingly. "False Euthanasia Claims," July 29 False: Medicare Benefits Will Be Slashed The claim that Obama and Congress are cutting seniors’ Medicare benefits to pay for the health care overhaul is outright false, though that doesn’t keep it from being repeated ad infinitum. The truth is that the pending House bill extracts $500 billion from projected Medicare spending over 10 years, as scored by the Congressional Budget Office, by doing such things as trimming projected increases in the program’s payments for medical services, not including physicians. Increases in other areas, such as payments to doctors, bring the net savings down to less than half that amount. But none of the predicted savings – or cuts, depending on one’s perspective – come from reducing current or future benefits for seniors. The president has promised repeatedly that benefit levels won’t be reduced, reiterating the point recently in Portsmouth, N.H.: Obama, Aug. 11: Another myth that we’ve been hearing about is this notion that somehow we’re going to be cutting your Medicare benefits. We are not. Is he wrong? Not according to AARP, by far the nation’s largest organization representing the over-50 population. In a "Myths vs. Facts" rundown, AARP says: AARP: Fact: None of the health care reform proposals being considered by Congress would cut Medicare benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs for Medicare services. To be sure, Obama hasn’t always thought that Medicare "savings" could be accomplished without actual cuts in benefits. Last fall, his campaign ran two television ads accusing Sen. John McCain of wanting “a 22 percent cut in [Medicare] benefits.” The basis for the ads was a newspaper article in which a McCain aide said the Arizona Republican would cut Medicare costs. But the aide said nothing about cutting benefits, in fact quite the contrary. We called the claim "false" when Obama made it against McCain, and it’s still false now when Obama’s critics are making the same accusation against him. False: Illegal Immigrants Will Be Covered One Republican congressman issued a press release claiming that "5,600,000 Illegal Aliens May Be Covered Under Obamacare," and we’ve been peppered with queries about similar claims. They’re not true. In fact, the House bill (the only bill to be formally introduced in its entirety) specifically says that no federal money would be spent on giving illegal immigrants health coverage: H.R. 3200: Sec 246 — NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States. Also, under current law, those in the country illegally don’t qualify for federal health programs. Of interest: About half of illegal immigrants have health insurance now, according to the nonpartisan Pew Hispanic Center, which says those who lack insurance do so principally because their employers don’t offer it. "Misleading GOP Health Care Claims" July 23 All fear mongering falsehoods started by, believed by and spread by those anti-Obama haters on the right - has nothing to do with sin.

I've been talking things thru with my hubby, who is behind this 100% - we have made the decision to proceed, and now need to decide which surgeon to go with. One query I have for you all..... for those with lower BMI - did you shift your weight approx at the same rate as those with higher BMI or do you think it was slower as you are a lower weight to start with? I'd like to shift say 70lbs.... possibly a little more....and presently have a BMI of 35.5.

Gee, Apples, I've never heard of stoma spasms---can you describe what you felt? To answer Apple's query about food--I pretty much eat the same things, only less. I did discover Greek yogurt, which I love. Never liked cantalope much before, but now I do. I've always had a "nervous" stomach, meaning that when I'm stressed or upset, my stomach really reacts. As a teenager, I had terrible cramps that would practically bend me over. Now I realize (although I've never been diagnosed) that I probably have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Okay, now I'm going to get gross. Even before my wl surgery, I had an awful lot of gas. MAJOR farting. Actually, my mother even noted it in my Baby book! But now, after surgery...let me tell you, I didn't think it could get worse. But it did. I am a farting machine!! Does anyone else have this problem? (Now that I've told you more about myself than you wanted to know!)

I have a query for anyone who might be motivated to answer. I have read a lot about lap bands and their effectiveness, both before and after I was banded (I was banded in December 2007) and there seems to be a bit of a discrepancy between experience and report. Before I was banded, and since, I have read a lot of articles and information which stated that banded individuals usually only lose around 60% of their excess weight although there are a couple of sites which seem to say that lapbanders tend to lose “around 100 lbs” – which seems daft as some bandsters may have more than twice that amount to lose and some may not have so much to lose. My own surgeon gave me literature which implied that, if I followed his dietary instructions to the letter (which I have) and undertook regular vigorous exercise (which I do) I could expect weight loss of around 60-80% of my excess weight – and he was very pleased with me when I reached a BMI of 25 which meant, I presume, that I had lost 100% of my excess weight (my BMI is now 24.1). So what I am wondering is what expectations were for others and have you managed to reach or exceed those expectations? Perhaps I have gained a wrong impression, or maybe I only read messages from successful bandsters, but it would appear that most of the people with bands seem to have managed to reach a BMI of 25 (and hence have lost 100% - all – of their excess). Or am I the exception? BTW, my PS, who did my inverted T Abdominoplasty a month ago is now using me as an example of possible success in a bid to get all of my necessary plastic work done instead of just the 2 procedures to which my PCT usually limits weight loss surgery patient – hope she gets the go ahead.

Hello Glo13, as no one else has replied I thought I would. I developed a "hernia" which was diagnosed afer my third child was born, and it was investigated after my 4th child when I had my gall bladder removed (due to stones). The surgeon advised me that it was not a true herrnia but instead it was a general parting of the abdominus rectus (wrecked us? nearly blew us apart!). After I reached goal I had my PS on 12th Feb (the day you posted the above query, I think) and the PS stitched my abdominal muscles again. Incidentally she said they parted as a result of my huge bulk and also as a result of my multiple pregnancies and huge babies (the last one was 11 lbs born - a big lad). I would have had it fixed before if I could, but to be honest, when i was still far from goal weight, it wouldn't have made very much difference shapewise. Having the abdominoplasty and the muscle repair at the same time has given me an incredible result and I am very happy, but the muscle repair has given me far more discomfort than the skin job, if you see what I mean. I don't know if this helps at all??? Sorry.

Hi to you all I've been reading through lots of posts researching the VSG which I am hoping to get....its been so informative and I must say a huge thank you all for sharing. I'm English but living in Spain, have done for the past 7 yrs now, and am researching having the op done either here in Spain or maybe back in the UK. I've got so many queries, but am answering some the more I read....but a quick general one regarding food post op for the long termers... Are you still able to eat everything? Spicy food? Sushi? Rare steak etc? I understand the quantities will change dramatically, but just wondered about those as they are my favs..... Also what happens when you reach your goal, how do you go about maintaining without keeping on loosing? I have a BMI of 35.6, (having lost 17lbs since October) and would ideally like to be about the 20 level instead. But think the VSG could be the answer to a lifetime of yoyo dieting and bad eating habits.

ROFL...probably not. Actually, what I've found most interesting about this thread is how people look at this whole process. Not one person responded to my query as to whether they would bring KFC into their home *knowing* it was their partner's weakness and *knowing* that their partner was on a very low fat diet because of heart disease and a high risk of heart attack. I'm assuming they wouldn't because they care about their partner and want them around for a good long time. Based on many of the posts here, it seems many don't see this same connection between our obesity and our life span. Instead, it's something less and expecting our partner to support our new healthy lifestyle in order to prolong our life is seen as an unreasonably demanding 'whim'. Make no mistake...our lives are shortened by decades because of obesity and the health complications that arise from it. Let's not make it less than it is.

10 liberal hypocrites 10 Al Gore Hypocrisy: Carbon Footprint the Size of…Some Really Big Thing At his suburban Nashville home, Ex-Vice President Al Gore enjoyed the Oscar awarded to “An Inconvenient Truth,” the documentary on global warming in which he starred. But the Tennessee Center for Policy Research gained access to Gore’s utility bills for two years and published the gas and electric bills for his 20-room home and pool house. It turned out the home devoured nearly 221,000 kilowatt-hours in 2006, more than 20 times the national average of 10,656 kilowatt-hours. The Center’s president, Drew Johnson said, “If this were any other person with $30,000-a-year in utility bills, I wouldn’t care. But he tells other people how to live and he’s not following his own rules.” 9 Rosie O’Donnell Hypocrisy: No Guns For You, But My Guy Packs Heat On her television show, April 19, 1999, O’Donnell had this to say about gun owners: “I don’t care if you want to hunt. I don’t care if you think it’s your right. I say, ‘Sorry.’ It is 1999. We have had enough as a nation. You are not allowed to own a gun, and if you do own a gun I think you should go to prison.” Several months later, a bodyguard in her employ applied for a concealed gun permit from the Greenwich (Connecticut) Police Department. When queried about whether her bodyguard should carry a gun on May 24, 2000, she said, “I don’t personally own a gun, but if you are qualified, licensed and registered, I have no problem.” 8 Michael Moore Hypocrisy: War Investments, Non-Union Labor, Calling for the End of the American Dream While Living It Michael Moore is merciless in his criticism of oil and defense contractors; calling them ‘war profiteers.’ He also claims to have no stock portfolio, but at one time he owned shares in Halliburton, Honeywell and Boeing. He also expresses an affinity for Union labor, but does his post production work in Canada – where he doesn’t have to pay union wages. In one of his books he writes “Horatio Alger Must Die”, implying that the rags-to-riches story is a myth, and ultimately harmful to America. This from an unknown Flint, Michigan filmmaker who became a millionaire in Hollywood by making documentaries. 7 Gloria Steinem Hypocrisy: Getting Married After Condemning Marriage As Pointless For years, Gloria Steinem said that “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle”, and that marriage has “a bad name”. Yet she married David Bale in 2000, preferring to enter into an institution she said made women “a semi-nonperson”. Sadly, Mr. Bale died three years later. 6 Nancy Pelosi Hypocrisy: Accepting Union Awards But Not Using Union Labor Nancy Pelosi bashes everyone who doesn’t use union labor–except herself. Shockingly, she still accepted the Cesar Chavez Award from the United Farmworkers Unions while using non-UFW workers on her Napa Valley Vineyard. She also praised the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union and took massive sums of money from them while keeping them out of her Hotel and chain of restaurants. Just paying the bills... 5 Barbara Streisand Hypocrisy: Coastline Protection Lawsuit Known for espousing pro-environmental views and criticizing those who don’t, Streisand sued the California Coastal Records Project, a landmark photographic database of over 12,000 frames of the California coast shot since 2002, asserting that the inclusion of a single frame that includes her blufftop Malibu estate invades her privacy, violates the “anti-paparazzi” statute, seeks to profit from her name, and threatens her security. Ms. Streisand, who purports to espouse the First Amendment right of freedom of speech (See “My Thoughts On Freedom of Speech” at barbrastreisand.com) apparently feels differently when the publication of a photograph shows her backyard. 4 Ted Kennedy Hypocrisy: Opposing Wind Power While Proposing Alternative Fuels Elsewhere Senator Kennedy has introduced dozens of pieces of legislation over the years to encourage the development of solar, hydrogen, and wind as alternatives to oil and coal. But he opposed the Cape Wind Project, which would build wind turbines in Nantucket Sound, about six miles off the coast from the Kennedy compound in Hyannis. The problem was not aesthetic; the Kennedys wouldn’t be able to actually see the turbines from their home. Instead Robert Kennedy Jr., who had been beating the drum for alternative sources of energy for more than a decade, complained that the project would be built in one of the family’s favorite sailing and yachting areas. Sen. Kennedy publicly called for further study of the project – but privately, he tried to get the study canceled. 3 Jesse Jackson Hypocrisy: Counseling on Adultery While Committing Adultery Jesse Jackson confessed that in 1998, at the very moment he was providing pastoral counseling to the White House’s Bill Clinton for his adultery with Monica Lewinski, he was carrying on an extramarital affair of his own, with a subordinate who later gave birth to his child. How could the nation’s premier civil rights leader have been so reckless? 2 Mary Beth Sweetland Hypocrisy: Protesting Animal Testing While Benefiting from Animal Testing A type-A diabetic, PETA Senior Vice President Mary Beth Sweetland keeps herself alive by injecting herself with insulin, which was developed from medical testing using dogs. She has been quoted as saying “I don’t see myself as a hypocrite. I need my life to fight for the rights of animals”. Penn Jillette gives her what-for: “ Not a hypocrite? Your group supports people who fire bomb labs where animal testing is conducted, while using the very benefits of animal testing to live your own upside-down, house of cards, !@#$ing privileged life”. In the clip above you can see Penn speaking – around the 5:20 mark. 1 US Labor Unions Hypocrisy: Using Non-Union Labor to Strike for Higher Union Wages Trade Unionism had been an important part of the liberal coalition within the Democratic party. In the late 1990’s, Unions began protesting the loss of jobs through outsourcing. By the 21st century, Unions began outsourcing picket lines to non-union, scab labor. The non-unionized workers were recruited from the most vulnerable of society willing to take on the most undignified type of work. The Unions offered no benefits, no healthcare, no job security, low pay, and intolerable working conditions. The Unions likewise paid in cash and did not collect taxes due to either federal, state, or local governments. Further, the Union’s exploitation of workers on outsourced picket lines contributed absolutely nothing to the workers Social Security retirement fund. Unions did not pay required Workers Compensation premiums for a hazardous job known to be risking life and limb. All this, so the greedy employer, in this case the Union, could enjoy higher living standards for themselves. [source: Outsourcing the Picket Line, By Keith L. Alexander, Washington Post, July 24, 2007.]

Newbie Here so please take my obversations as more of a query.. I really love my new sleeve family and I am scheduled for surgery in March. After months, month and months of research (with the help of this forum), I am just curious as to why there are not commericals or informationals about the Sleeve to help more people.:confused1: This journey appears to be a "God send" for alot of us and I am just sooo thankful I found out about the sleeve by through word of mouth. Anyone curious as to why the Sleeve has not recieved more public advertising.. similiar to the Realize Band? No pun intended to my Band family, just curious and trying to understand why more people are really not aware of Sleeve.. :blushing:

I appreciate this thread as it has caused me to reflect on the times in my life when I was overweight and was tempted to and perhaps at times did actually query someone about their improved appearance and/or weight loss. From my perspective at the time I know that my questions were never intended to be intrusive (though I can see now how they might have seemed so), and certainly never malicious, but rather driven from a desperate sense of being out of control and searching for anything that might help me. I can give folks the benefit of the doubt now, but can see how this can be a problem for those that it causes anxiety for. I'm taking that lesson to heart! Fortunately for me, I do seem to find the questions/attention motivating...in fact it was a little weird for me recently attending a function (reunion) where the majority of folks had not seen me in 5 years or longer and would have no idea of the recent change. It took a bit for me to realize that I was just a "normal" person....something that I'm going to have to get used to. I can't tell you how many times I had to stop myself from saying something really ridiculous about how I've lost over 40 lbs. For all I knew thosee folks remembered me as being skinnier that I am now:rolleyes2:. I must be really fortunate (or insignificant) though:tongue_smilie:because not a lot of people seem to comment on my weight loss....those that do actually ask for a number get a very casual response: "Oh...I guess it's just a bit over 40 lbs.....but you know I've been working on it since March!!!" Those are the same folks that will be the ones to ask how I did it. Besides my medical team, only 3 people are aware that I was banded (another discussion entirely on the rationale for that decision...but I wouldn't change it), so the answer to their question is still an honest (but slightly incomplete) answer. I say that the first thing I did was cut out all sodas (diet) and started drinking more Water. I tell them that I TRY to eat better, focusing on Proteins and low carb and moderate fat and TRY to stick to healthy foods since I also TRY to eat very small meals as slowly as I can manage. For anyone that asks about exercise I am also honest....:thumbup:...that I really need to do more than I do (practically nothing-sigh) and that if I did I'd probably be doing a little better on the weight loss. So far no one (that I know) has questioned my methods, though I have one friend who was banded and knows that I was considering it that might suspect....the behaviors are obvious to another bandster...but hasn't said anything. I have one coworker who is NOT overweight, but is very health/diet conscious and we "talk diet" regularly. She has no idea that I had surgery and our talks are more or less a confirmation and accountability for both of us on our individual journeys. I guess my point is that everyone who is on this weight loss journey and is successfull has some "tool" to help them along, whether it be faith, will-power, a body that cooperates (which I did NOT have) or a Lap-Band®®. Sorry...I seem to have gotten off track, but feel much better now. Thanks for the indulgence with my venting!

Thank you all for your help regarding the Gastric Sleeve site. I've put in a query to find Oregondaisy to see how she is and to find out more about the sleeve. Best wishes, Katydid.

I’m 62 pounds lighter since my May 28th LAP-BAND® surgery. In eighteen weeks, there has been such significant weight loss and, more relevantly, so much positive change in my health that I can hardly remember the time when I was medically obese and “lost.” First, let’s dispense with the formalities. Need to know exactly what LAP-BAND® surgery involves? Click on The LAP-BAND® I : "Entering the zone" | Babyboomers.tv. Want to know how civilians react to news that I’ve elected to have surgery? Click on http://babyboomers.tv/content/LAP-BAND®-zone-ii-dealing-civilian-response. Interested in hearing about my status and what happens next? Read on. In addition to monthly post-op visits with Dr. Gellman, my bariatric surgeon, -- click on www.northshoresurgical.net -- I’ve lived through 4 months now as a post-operative LAP-BAND® patient. It doesn’t feel that much different than following Weight Watchers, Atkins, and other weight loss programs. Except … I’ve had laparoscopic surgery to help cure my lifelong addiction to food; There is this device inside of me banding the upper portion of my stomach; The LAP-BAND® is a “tool” to help me cut down on food consumption; While my 62-pound weight loss has been sensational, the doctor reminded me this week that the band was inserted for a reason and it’s time to tighten it now. So, this is a different reality for me. The band will be tightened in a few days by injecting saline solution into a port which has been surgically inserted on the inside of my stomach epidermis. The net result is that the band will be tightened and my little stomach pouch (the “stoma”) will feel full with less food. I’ll have to go back on a liquid diet for a few days to allow the stoma to adjust to its new tighter reality. Aside from my regular visits with Dr. Gellman, I also attend a monthly support group with other post-op patients. These groups are enormously helpful for both the camaraderie of those who have been through my same experience as well as for the practical advice I get from participants. At the last group, the topic was “How have you changed for the better or worse following surgery?” I believe life is drastically different (and better) since surgery. However, I’m still a LAP-BAND® rookie so I asked the group “do you all tell people that you’ve had LAP-BAND® surgery?” Interesting responses: “it’s none of anybody’s business”; “nobody has to know”; “they don’t understand”; and, “I only tell my closest friends and relatives”. I understand. Even though I’ve gone public on this website for the entire world to know my story, there are specific people in my life who don’t know about my decision to go through with LAP-BAND® surgery --- most importantly, my mother and father-in-law. They are in their 80’s and they just wouldn’t understand the surgical procedure (or the need for it). Mind you, they are each thrilled to hear about and see my weight loss progress. The best advice to come from the support group, however, has been “If anyone asks how you lost the weight, tell them you’re on Weight Watchers.” This echoes a similar sentiment from Dr Gellman, who reports: “so many of the patients in our practice simply default to “Weight Watchers” when asked how they lost the weight. There is logic here … the final phase of post-operative eating adjustment encompasses a diet that is very much like the Weight Watchers protocol: Eat fruits and vegetables liberally; Follow portion control: 1 ounce of meat = size of a matchbox; 3 ounces of meat = size of a deck of cards; 3 ounces of fish = size of a checkbook; Medium apple = size of a tennis ball. [*]Use little, if any, sugar; [*]Choose lower fat foods; [*]Avoid fried foods; [*]Eat 3 meals a day; [*]Exercise regularly, preferably 3 or 5 or 7 times per week (I walk 4 miles every day;) Who, among us, has not seen this movie before? And yet it really is unlike the thousands of diets I’ve previously been on. I think it has a lot to do with my commitment to a new way of life once I agreed to the surgery. And, I strongly believe in my ability to do this. Also, there is the reality that the little stomach pouch won’t hold the huge quantities of food I had become accustomed to eating. But, if we’re honest, I believe it’s that I don’t want to betray the promise I made to myself: this time, it’s for good and will be different than before. At our tender age when death and illnesses are dodging us, who is gonna argue? I’ve learned from my support group that the post-op fellowship strongly resembles Alcoholics Anonymous: it’s critical to keep sharing your feelings and to report any incident(s) of falling off the wagon. Fine with me, so far. But then, I’ve never really had a problem losing weight --- it’s maintaining my goal weight that has always done me in. For now, I take it one day at a time. The weight loss has been thrilling and I’m extremely grateful for my newfound health and mobility. I’m off blood pressure medicine, I don’t need the sleep apnea machine and my knees have magically stopped hurting during my 3-4 mile daily walks. As for the outside world and how to respond to the queries about “how did you do it?” … I smile like a Cheshire cat and reply that my answer lies in a renewed commitment to exercise and a diet of fruits, vegetables and healthy proteins. I guess my real shorthand answer can be “I’m going to Weight Watchers.”

I’m 62 pounds lighter since my May 28th LAP-BAND® surgery. In eighteen weeks, there has been such significant weight loss and, more relevantly, so much positive change in my health that I can hardly remember the time when I was medically obese and “lost.” First, let’s dispense with the formalities. Need to know exactly what LAP-BAND® surgery involves? Click on The LAP-BAND® I : "Entering the zone" | Babyboomers.tv. Want to know how civilians react to news that I’ve elected to have surgery? Click on http://babyboomers.tv/content/LAP-BAND®-zone-ii-dealing-civilian-response. Interested in hearing about my status and what happens next? Read on. In addition to monthly post-op visits with Dr. Gellman, my bariatric surgeon, -- click on www.northshoresurgical.net -- I’ve lived through 4 months now as a post-operative LAP-BAND® patient. It doesn’t feel that much different than following Weight Watchers, Atkins, and other weight loss programs. Except … I’ve had laparoscopic surgery to help cure my lifelong addiction to food; There is this device inside of me banding the upper portion of my stomach; The LAP-BAND® is a “tool” to help me cut down on food consumption; While my 62-pound weight loss has been sensational, the doctor reminded me this week that the band was inserted for a reason and it’s time to tighten it now. So, this is a different reality for me. The band will be tightened in a few days by injecting saline solution into a port which has been surgically inserted on the inside of my stomach epidermis. The net result is that the band will be tightened and my little stomach pouch (the “stoma”) will feel full with less food. I’ll have to go back on a liquid diet for a few days to allow the stoma to adjust to its new tighter reality. Aside from my regular visits with Dr. Gellman, I also attend a monthly support group with other post-op patients. These groups are enormously helpful for both the camaraderie of those who have been through my same experience as well as for the practical advice I get from participants. At the last group, the topic was “How have you changed for the better or worse following surgery?” I believe life is drastically different (and better) since surgery. However, I’m still a LAP-BAND® rookie so I asked the group “do you all tell people that you’ve had LAP-BAND® surgery?” Interesting responses: “it’s none of anybody’s business”; “nobody has to know”; “they don’t understand”; and, “I only tell my closest friends and relatives”. I understand. Even though I’ve gone public on this website for the entire world to know my story, there are specific people in my life who don’t know about my decision to go through with LAP-BAND® surgery --- most importantly, my mother and father-in-law. They are in their 80’s and they just wouldn’t understand the surgical procedure (or the need for it). Mind you, they are each thrilled to hear about and see my weight loss progress. The best advice to come from the support group, however, has been “If anyone asks how you lost the weight, tell them you’re on Weight Watchers.” This echoes a similar sentiment from Dr Gellman, who reports: “so many of the patients in our practice simply default to “Weight Watchers” when asked how they lost the weight. There is logic here … the final phase of post-operative eating adjustment encompasses a diet that is very much like the Weight Watchers protocol: Eat fruits and vegetables liberally; Follow portion control: 1 ounce of meat = size of a matchbox; 3 ounces of meat = size of a deck of cards; 3 ounces of fish = size of a checkbook; Medium apple = size of a tennis ball. [*]Use little, if any, sugar; [*]Choose lower fat foods; [*]Avoid fried foods; [*]Eat 3 meals a day; [*]Exercise regularly, preferably 3 or 5 or 7 times per week (I walk 4 miles every day;) Who, among us, has not seen this movie before? And yet it really is unlike the thousands of diets I’ve previously been on. I think it has a lot to do with my commitment to a new way of life once I agreed to the surgery. And, I strongly believe in my ability to do this. Also, there is the reality that the little stomach pouch won’t hold the huge quantities of food I had become accustomed to eating. But, if we’re honest, I believe it’s that I don’t want to betray the promise I made to myself: this time, it’s for good and will be different than before. At our tender age when death and illnesses are dodging us, who is gonna argue? I’ve learned from my support group that the post-op fellowship strongly resembles Alcoholics Anonymous: it’s critical to keep sharing your feelings and to report any incident(s) of falling off the wagon. Fine with me, so far. But then, I’ve never really had a problem losing weight --- it’s maintaining my goal weight that has always done me in. For now, I take it one day at a time. The weight loss has been thrilling and I’m extremely grateful for my newfound health and mobility. I’m off blood pressure medicine, I don’t need the sleep apnea machine and my knees have magically stopped hurting during my 3-4 mile daily walks. As for the outside world and how to respond to the queries about “how did you do it?” … I smile like a Cheshire cat and reply that my answer lies in a renewed commitment to exercise and a diet of fruits, vegetables and healthy proteins. I guess my real shorthand answer can be “I’m going to Weight Watchers.”

Hi SuzKelly- I really feel for you. I felt like I had to jump through hoops, and I felt jerked around when I was trying to qualify for my wonderful insurance benefits. I had to go through a six months documented weight loss program. During the time I was trying to qualify for the 'benefits," I did a lot of reading on the various bariatric procedures available. Of the procedures available, my insurance company would only cover the Band, Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass, and an outdated technique that no self-respecting surgeon would do anymore. So around the sixth month and 17 pounds of weight loss, I decided that VSG was the best procedure out there, and my best chance for losing the weight and KEEPING IT OFF! People with he Band and Gastric Bypass still have all of their stomachs. Their bodies can produce lots of ghrelin which makes one very hungry. With VSG most of the stomach is removed. Even if our bodies compensate by producing more ghrelin in the remaining stomach, I don't think it will be able to produce enough to make us as hungry and the Band and Bypass people get after a year or so. So, I decided to self-pay. Fortunately, we have very little debt. Since you have a lot of debt, it seems you best choice is to try to fight the insurance company. Try to document as many co-morbidities as you can and get started on your six month documented weight loss attempt. Some insurance companies are starting to cover VSG, but not most. You might find out by posting a query on this web site which insurance companies have paid for VSG. Naming the other insurance companies that are covering this procedure might aid your argument with your insurance company. Best wishes for success with your insurance company!

oh Allie! I thought that I was the only one this has happened to! I had my first fill last SAturday and the nurse had an awful bother getting into my port, it was extremely painful but she did give me a fill. unfortunately, I have been overfilled and I had to schedule an emergency unfill yesterday in Dublin, not my usual clinic. the nurse tried for an hour and a half to try to find my port, she said my port had moved to the side and that it was moving everytime she tried to access it. I had such a terrible experience and came back home again without the unfill. she said I had a lot of scar tissue and that the port was very deep (I assume she meant that it was buried in a lot of fat!) she has referred me back to my usual clinic again next Monday and she is going to arrange for another more experienced nurse to deal with me. I honestly don't think I can go through the experience again. no one mentioned about re-siting my port and having another operation, that must have been dreadful for you. I don't have an answer to your query but I hope someone else comes along with some good news for you, I will be watching your replies with keen interest. hang in there!

Well, I am telling you, I have not had any regrets about having it done at all. Somehow I feel better than I have for some months... I felt very strongly that I had to do something serious about my weight as I was generally not feeling good in a non-specific way apart from all the specific problems with self-esteem, snoring, joints etc. I know it is early days still but I am starting to feel hungry again. I have lost about 10lbs with the pre-op diet and now I am 10 days post-op, feeling pretty good and going back to work on Monday. But it is not long to my first band fill and I am trying to hold on to the feeling I had at the beginning where I could take food or leave it... So try not to be nervous. It is a big change but one for the better. You may feel a bit sore for a few days. I purposely did very little, pottered about the house, watched DVDs and read books and really let myself recover. For all sorts of post-op queries, you can be sure that someone, somewhere, sometime had it already and posted about it on here. I found it really reassuring to look stuff up using the search feature on here. Good luck!

G'day everyone! Well im home after having the op on tuesday and although feeling a bit sore and achy and lots of wind, im doing ok. It was fab to meet Sue (Singing Parrot) and the other two ladies Wendy and Sheila who i hope pop along and join the site too. I also met Starsky (Susan) last night and she's lovely - loads of luck to her today xxx Ive not felt hungry at all since the op and have had to force some cup-a-soups down me to make sure that ive got some energy. Drinking plenty of water too and about to start using the juicer now im home. Sue - I hope you're feeling a bit brighter chuck and the hiccups have gone. Just a query though - did any of you fellow banders have a hernia? Dr Chris told us that all 4 of us English patients he operated on that day had them to a greater or lesser degree - i wondered if anyone had one too and if there were any after-effects of it being repaired? Im off for a relaxing break away now until sunday evening at a spa, so although i wont be able to do the spa thing i really am looking forward to laying about doing nothing except a soothing facial! Happy burping new banders :thumbup:) Bev xxxxx