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I am so sorry to read your story and I so commiserate with you. My story was no where near the same as far as specifics but similar in that I think a lot of the bariatric surgeons and their staff (people associated with the bariatric practice) treat us as cattle to be fed through the chutes. I think they handle so many more people than a regular surgical practice does that we are just nameless, faceless cattle. As an example, my doctor thought when I went in for my post-op visit that I was there for my pre-op visit. Partially, this is the medical practice anymore, but specifically it is true in this type practice. No wonder you or any of us feel like we are "boiling." Anyone does when they feel they have no power in a situation and that is certainly where you are right now -- no power to effect a change in the situation, no power to effect a change in her and the way she does things, and no power to change the way the doctors do things as you and the rest of us are just one of MANY who will put up with most anything to get the surgery. And, let's not even talk about the insurance companies . . . . . My thoughts are with you and I certainly hope things work out for a quick, positive resolution to this situation. Keep us all posted.

Anyone have BC/BS Federal and had a BMI less than 40?

I need to write a country song....I am so mad I could bake a whole chocolate ganache cake and eat it until I puke. I am not doing that, I am too lazy to go to all that effort....🍰🍷🍰🍷🍰🍷🍰🍷But this is now ridiculous to be sitting at this same weight for over 2 months. <rant over> WAIT. And the damn weather sucks too, snow. <now rant over>

Thanks for the reply’s everyone. But it’s more curiosity than anything. I see a lot of shorter people on here and not really height testimonies. I know everyone is different and their bodies and using your tool as best as possible with eating right and exercise. I’m new to all this .. scared but determined. Just nice and encouraging to here EVERYONES testimony about there weight loss esp in height bc I am a tall obese woman.

Way not to take his BS and transfer of responsibility. He does need to own this if there is any chance for healing. He needs to rebuild the trust he destroyed. That is a long row to hoe. I hope he's not trying to buy his way back in. You might want to check out this site: https://www.gottman.com/ I think Dr. Gottman has some of the best materials for helping to communicate better and building trust.

The following is a condensation of a series from the Investor's Business Daily explaining 'What Caused the Loan Crisis': 1977: Pres. Jimmy Carter signs the Community Reinvestment Act into Law. The law pressured financial institutions to extend home loans to those who would otherwise not qualify. The Premise: Home ownership would improve poor and crime-ridden communities and neighborhoods in terms of crime, investment, jobs, etc. Results: Statistics bear out that it did not help. How did the government get so deeply involved in the housing market? Answer: Bill Clinton wanted it that way. 1992: Republican representative Jim Leach (IO) warned of the danger that Fannie and Freddie were changing from being agencies of the public at large to money machines for the principals and the stockholding few. 1993: Clinton extensively rewrote Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's rules turning the quasi-private mortgage-funding firms into semi-nationalized monopoies dispensing cash and loans to large Democratic voting blocks and handing favors, jobs and contributions to political allies. This potent mix led inevitably to corruption and now the collapse of Freddie and Fannie. 1994: Despite warnings, Clinton unveiled his National Home-Ownership Strategy which broadened the CRA in ways congress never intended. 1995: Congress, about to change from a Democrat majority to Republican, Clinton orders Robert Rubin's Treasury Dept to rewrite the rules. Robt. Rubin's Treasury reworked rules, forcing banks to satisfy quotas for sub-prime and minority loans to get a satisfactory CRA rating. The rating was key to expansion or mergers for banks. Loans began to be made on the basis of race and little else. 1997 - 1999: Clinton , bypassing Republicans, enlisted Andrew Cuomo, then Secretary of Housing and Urban Developement, allowing Freddie and Fannie to get into the sub-prime market in a BIG way. Led by Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd, congress doubled down on the risk by easing capital limits and allowing them to hold just 2.5% of capital to back their investments vs. 10% for banks. Since they could borrow at lower rates than banks their enterprises boomed. With incentives in place, banks poured billions in loans into poor communities, often 'no doc', 'no income', requiring no money down and no verification of income. Worse still was the cronyism: Fannie and Freddie became home to out-of work-politicians, mostly Clinton Democrats. 384 politicians got big campaign donations from Fannie and Freddie. Over $200 million had been spent on lobbying and political activities. During the 1990's Fannie and Freddie enjoyed a subsidy of as musch as $182 Billion,most of it going to principals and shareholders, not poor borrowers as claimed. Did it work? Minorities made up 49% of the 12.5 million new homeowners but many of those loans have gone bad and the minority homeownership rates are shrinking fast. 1999: New Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers, became alarmed at Fannie and Freddie's excesses. Congress held hearings the ensuing year but nothing was done because Fannie and Freddie had donated millions to key congressmen and radical groups, ensuring no meaningful changes would take place. 'We manage our political risk with the same intensity that we manage our credit and interest rate risks,' Fannie CEO Franklin Raines, a former Clinton official and current Barack Obama advisor, bragged to investors in 1999. 2000: Secretary Summers sent Undersecretary Gary Gensler to Congress seeking an end to the 'special status'. Democrats raised a ruckus as did Fannie and Freddie, headed by politically connected CEO's who knew how to reward and punish. 'We think that the statements evidence a contempt for the nation's housing and mortgage markets' Freddie spokesperson Sharon McHale said. It was the last chance during the Clinton era for reform. 2001: Republicans try repeatedly to bring fiscal sanity to Fannie and Freddie but Democrats blocked any attempt at reform; especially Rep. Barney Frank and Sen.Chris Dodd who now run key banking committees and were huge beneficiaries of campaign contributions from the mortgage giants. 2003: Bush proposes what the NY Times called 'the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry since the savings and loan crisis a decade ago'. Even after discovering a scheme by Fannie and Freddie to overstate earnings by $10.6 billion to boost their bonuses, the Democrats killed reform. 2005: Then Fed chairman Alan Greenspan warns Congress: 'We are placing the total financial system at substantial risk'. Sen. McCain, with two others, sponsored a Fannie/Freddie reform bill and said, 'If congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system and the economy as a whole'. Sen. Harry Reid accused the GOP ;of trying to 'cripple the ability of Fannie and Freddie to carry out their mission of expanding homeownership' The bill went nowhere. 2007: By now Fannie and Freddie own or guarantee over HALF of the $12 trillion US mortgage market. The mortgage giants, whose executive suites were top-heavy with former Democratic officials, had been working with Wall St. to repackage the bad loans and sell them to investors. As the housing market fell in '07, subprime mortgage portfolios suffered major losses. The crisis was on, though it was 15 years in the making. 2008: McCain has repeatedly called for reforming the behemoths, Bush urged reform 17 times. Still the media have repeated Democrats' talking points about this being a 'Republican' disaster. A few Republicans are complicit but Fannie and Freddie were created by Democrats, regulated by Democrats, largely run by Democrats and protected by Democrats. That's why taxpayers are now being asked for $700 billion!! If you doubt any of this, just click the links below and listen to your lawmakers own words. They are condeming! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68D9XrqyrWo&feature=related]YouTube - Fannie & Freddie: The Real Story Behind The Economic Crisis[/ame]# http://www.youtube...com/watch?v=pIgqfM5C8lY# [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9juJr8CSY4&feature=related]YouTube - How democrats lied to America, while using community reinvestment act and acorn to destroy the American financial system.[/ame]# Postscript: ACORN is one of the principle beneficiaries of Fannie/ Freddie's slush funds. They are currently under indictment or investigation in many states. Barack Obama served as their legal counsel, defending their activities for several years. Please share this with everyone you know. Send it. Print it. Talk about it. America needs to know!!!

I want to comment on two points that Spartan made. First . . Based on my own reading and research, I do not believe that this is accurate, and a significant percentage of the bandsters who I know have either met and surpassed their goals or are well on their way to doing so. I'm willing to bet that, of people who actually work with their bands, more than 90% are able to get to their goals. As reliable as that . . unnamed study . . by an unspecified group in Europe . . that hasn't been published yet. . and where you didn't have the underlying data. . sounds, I'm calling BS on this. The reason the band works so well is that it makes it physically impossible (well, difficult) to overeat. I just do not believe that any significant percentage of the non-banded people were able to avoid overeating for the year + that would have been required for them to actually enjoy the full benefits of being banded. I am not trying to be inflamatory here, but when I see posts like this that seem to misstate statistics or make vague, unsupported references to unnamed studies, it makes me mad. It seems irresponsible and I don't like that it might discourage bandsters or prospective bandsters from believing that they can get to goal. I have my own statistics and 18-month long personal scientific study on life with the band. That's all the proof I need that this process absolutely works when you follow the rules more often than not. And, if I can do it, so can anyone else who is willing to put in the effort. Catherine

Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone had any info on bariatric (VSG) requirements with Prestige Insurance (Florida Medicaid)? I was told by member services that it is covered when medically necessary, but they wouldn’t tell me what the requirements were ie., length of time for supervised diet visits, specific BMI info, nutritional and psychic evaluations. I am scheduled for an informational session in Tampa in a week, but I can’t get any info from my insurance or perspective surgery center and it’s so frustrating. Also if you have any other FL Medicaid insurances and know the surgery requirements for them, pls let me know what they are, bc I’m still within the time frame to switch insurance plans. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

The brand is called Biohealth and the proteins is called grass fed precision blend

I'm so relieved to find other college students on here. I was banded on October 31st, and got filled to 9 ccs less than 2 months ago. I can FINALLY feel it working now! I'll answer any questions you may have about having the band while being a college student. If you don't drink alcohol, then please disregard the rest of this message. LOL The biggest problem I hear from other banded students is avoiding alcohol, so I'm assuming that it's of some concern to you bc it was for me. I love partying, and I drink more than I should. As much as the surgeon tells you to avoid alcohol, you might just give in sometimes if you're anything like me. You already know that drinking really should be avoided as much as possible. I only let myself drink 2-3 times a month now. Here's some random advice from my experience (I wish someone would've been this straight forward with me). 1. Never drink to the point of throwing up (I did this just last weekend, eh!) I didn't know this until a week ago, but every time that you throw up, you're taking a risk at your band slipping, which means that You'll have to go through another surgery to remove it. 2. Avoid beer at all costs--I didn't listen to people when they told me that it's VERY uncomfortable! The gas builds up so much that it feels almost a little painful/uncomfortable...I felt it after 1/2 a beer. It was even worse when my friend brought out the funnel- very bad. Everyone is different, though. 3. If you're going to drink, stick with the clears. I only drink either vodka or tequila (least amount of calories), and I either drink it straight, or with DIET soda. If you're going to take a chance with beer, drink only light. I wouldn't suggest it though bc it'll take longer for you to get drunk off of beer, so you'll end up drinking more of it (wow I sound like I need to go to an AA meeting) 4. Drunken munchies- After being awesome on my diet for like 3 months, I partied, got the drunken munchies, and actually thought I could consume a Big Mac. I threw up after 3 bites from giving into my craving. I can't even tell you how I regretted that in the morning. Try to avoid eating while drunk bc you'll forget that you have the band.. I was told 3 times that I should wait to get the band until I've "grown out of partying", but I've proven everybody including my parents and my surgeon wrong by proving that you can still have a great time in moderation AND see awesome results. I hope this helps you in the future, and if you don't drink at all- MORE POWER TO YOU!

For a while it was hard to get regulated. I drank epson salt with warm Water - it is gross but gentle and efffective. Then on recommendation of another sleeve sister I bought Fiber Choice and started eating couple tablets daily to get more fiber. I started going every day and eased off of them. I will chew one now on days when I feel I might be heading towards constipation but I don't wait until it is there. Once after sleeve I was so constipated that I felt like I was trying to shit a glue stick out my rear end. It was so awful I thought I might have to go to doctor, but the epson water did the trick and I learned I needed more fiber. I love fiber choice bc it doesn't taste like medicine.

Congratulations on your commitment to a healthier lifestyle by signing up! Curves is very successful here in the US and I'm sure you'll do great! However, the quoted text really bothers me and it upsets me that a fitness facility would guarantee weight loss by attending 3x or more a week. Losing weight requires that you use more calories than you take in. If you do 3 workouts a week for an average of 400 calories, that's only a total of 1200 calories. And we all know far too well how easy it is to consume 1200 calories... and that would just keep you at maintenance. You know your body better than anyone else so listen to it and go for it! Just don't buy into somebody else's BS because it's what you want to hear... You're going to do awesome because of YOU, not because THEY guarantee it.

I had eggs on day 5. My doc has you on purée before you leave the hospital. Some days I feel like I'll vomit if I have another bite of eggs but they are a protein lifesaver. Stick with the whites or don't eat real eggs every day Bc of the cholesterol and fat contents (according to my NUT).

Okay thanks. I had been taking them together and saw that last night and I was like well crap I hope it ain't all of them bc I've been doing it

I'm in the middle of that now actually. I haven't gotten as far into the process as you, but I felt the same way about the surgeon with my first consultation. Although I'm doing the sleep study through the first surgeon, I'm doing everything else with the second one who took the time with me and didn't rush me in anyway. The second surgeon is willing to take the sleep paperwork bc it was from a bariatric program. You have to go with who you feel comfortable with. I'm scared of getting the surgery; I've been dragging my feet on it for about 10 years. Now, I make sure I'm with an experienced surgeon who takes the time for me. Good luck!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I love love love their salad with grilled veggies on top. Sometimes I add cheese (I'm a vegetarian), but I think you can get it with grilled chicken. I have come to think of pasta as tasteless, a waste of space (I'm post-op), yucky/gummy, and low bang for the buck given its lack of nutritional value. I feel so good putting a healthful tasty salad in my body instead. And everyone at the table will probably look at your salad longingly, wishing they had ordered it. You will feel great after eating it, too! I would pass on the bread or maybe have half a piece with the dipping oil bc that's the best part (since you are pre-op--post-op, you won't want it). You can get a side of sautéed spinach with garlic (not sure if it's on the menu, but they will do it), which is sooo good and good for you. Most of all, I hope you enjoy your time with your loved ones!

Not bad but a little wishy washy. Drop the "I believe" for "I will" and replace with "I do" or "I am". Swap "I recieved a BS" for "I earned...". Not "IF" you are hired "when" you are hired. You've got to make it sound like YOU are the only qualified person for the job and hiring you is a no-brainer, a done-deal, without sounding arrogant. Lastly, you might mention why you want the job, other than that you are qualified and it serves academic purposes. Say something that expresses your interest in the organization and its goals, mission, etc. Pull some information from their website or other sources that shows you have gone beyond reading the job description in deciding this is the perfect job for you and you are the perfect candidate. Good luck. :redface:

I am on my 9th day out of surgery and I have no physical hunger, however I do have mental hunger. I want to eat certain things I see and cant bc of the liquid diet. I really think once I am able to eat solid foods I wont crave so much. I am concerned that my sleeve isnt tight enough though. I have been eating creamed soups and am able to eat 8 oz of creamed soup in 30 mins. not sure if that is normal but its done now and I cant get my money back sooo. I only have about 2-3 meals a day bc that is when I think about eating, but other than that i am fine. I sometimes find that I am also letting myself have things I shouldnt have bc I am burned out with everything. Ex. I had broth for lunch and a 6 oz frozen coffee for dinner. glad to hear there are others with my same concerns.

I'm 4 months post op and I'm 46 lbs down and at a stand still. I'm Si depressed that it's not coming off quicker!! I know I eat some of the wrong things but I try and try to stay on track! It's so hard! I'm have issues with my shoulder, I had to be put to sleep for a manipulation on it past week and its keeping me from working out. I can't lift weights I can't get in the floor and do any exercising bc of the arm. I just want the pain to go away so I can start building some Muscle!! Just need a kick in the pants!!!

Ive recently had reflux probs and I too gurgle...I called my doc bc my reflux was waking me up at night...when it getst that bad you're way too tight I am going monday for a slight unfil...I am going to suggest that we try just .25 bc last fill he only put .5 in...so maybe I just need half...but def dont ignore reflux call your doc!!

Hey everyone! So I am 3 months into my journey of the 6 month supervised weight checks. I have had pcos much longer but only diagnosed in March of 2014 and have been on Metformin and BC since then but the last time I had blood work done in March 2016, my testosterone levels were higher than a "normal" PCOS person so my pcp sent me to an endocrinologist. I just saw the endo on Thursday and she said she is not so much concerned with the testosterone levels as she is with the color of the stretch marks on my stomach and the top of my arm by my armpit. She is thinking possible Cushing's and I am now waiting to go in for bloodwork this morning after having a dexamethasone(sp) pill and then next week I have to collect my urine for 24 hours and do another blood test. Not only am I scared of the treatments for Cushing's depending on the cause of it, but I'm also worried about it affecting my August or September GBS. She said if the bloodwork comes back ok, then she will continue treatment for PCOS. I guess I'm just needing input on anyone who has gone through this or anyone who was diagnosed with Cushing's and still had the surgery? Sorry for such a long and depressing first post, my nerves are just getting the best of me and you all are a wealth of knowledge Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

There's a guy on my WLS in person support group that has drooping eye skin after WLS and needs a eye lift or something bc it's impeding on his vision!!!

There is a big group on here from Vancouver, BC area on the Canadian group link that you can find scrolling down the main page!! They are very helpful and supportive.

Hi everyone, I am new here and am a Vancouver resident. I have been thinking about getting the sleeve done and have a consultation with Puget Sound Bariatrics on June 13th. I wanted to reach out to anyone that has had it done there and particularly any Vancouver (BC) residents that may have had the procedure done there. I would like some feedback and some info on how everything went for you and how difficult it was travelling back after the surgery. Obviously I have a million questions and would really like to buddy up with someone thats in the same area so I can chat with them about their surgery, progress ect... If you can help out with this please reply to this post or private message me. I really appreciate all the help. thanks so much!

Does perserverance really pay off? I guess I will know soon enough. I have been wrangling with Horizon BC/BS of New Jersey since October 2004 trying to get approval. I received a call from our company's benefits broker today. I had to involve our benefits broker because I was getting nowhere trying to deal with BC/BS directly. The last contact I had from BC/BS was January 27. At that time they requested two minor pieces of information that were forwarded by my surgeons office. I called BC/BS March 4 to see if any determination had been made. They said they had received the information requested January 27 and my case had gone back to utilization review, and it would be another 6-8 weeks before I heard anthing. I didn't sweat that too much because I knew that if I received approval, there would be a time frame of 30-45 days imposed, and I had a vacation scheduled for Mid-April and month end at work is hell. When I got back from vacation I phoned my surgeons office (april 20). They hadn't heard anything from BC/BS--the lap band coordinator phoned them that day--BC/BS went on to request the same information that they requested in the letter of January 27. She kindly forwarded that on in addition to other information and results from some tests and procedures I had in the mean time. Fast forward to today. I got a call from the benefits broker saying I was approved and a letter was mailed out yesterday, the only rub being was that my time frame for surgery had expired. My benefits broker is now dealing with this. Is this great or what?? What a roller coaster.