any one in utah want to talk

[momlambert 77]

Hi, What is a PB?

Check this out: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/abbreviations-and-they-t7959.html

It's a "productive burp." Something I'm hoping to never have! Karen

P.S. BTW, I saw Dr. Hansen today and he said four FULL weeks of mushies and then regular food--I'm happy because I thought it was five full weeks. Woohoo! Only three weeks to go... guess that's better than four more, for sure! Happy Easter!

[bobbibandit 0]

Thanks for the info... I guess I'll have too wait a bit longer than I thought before I could get to eat real food. But I'm happy to say I have not had a PB either... I really try to eat small really servings. But this last 2 days I have been hungry ALOT. Before I was full for much longer... Obviously the swelling around the band has gone down and my restriction is less. Makes it much harder.... Oh well I guess I have to tuff it out! You have Happy Easter also.

[wen 1]

Hi Gang,

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter (or whatever you may Celebrate this time of year) and is doing well! :hippie: Tomorrow the hubby and I have a four-hour class/consultation with Dr. McKinlay at Rocky Mountain Surgical Center. I'm very excited and a little scared. One of my insurance pre-requisites is that I have been on a medically supervised weight loss program for six of the past 12 months (and have either maintained or lost weight). Well, my internal medicine doctor didn't keep very good records of all the times we discussed diet and exercise, and I gained weight through most of last year, so I'm worried I won't qualify because of that. Has anyone else had that requirement from their insurance co? If it comes to it, Dr. McKinlay mentioned in the first class we attended that he will supervisor a weight loss program to meet the insurance requirements. That means I would have to wait another SIX MONTHS! And, that sounds like forever at the moment. I'm ready gosh darn it!! So, I've decided I may finance it myself rather than wait. Now, here is the big question for you all who have had your procedures...if you had to wait six months and have it paid for, or pay yourself (and it wouldn't be a HUGE financial burden) and have the surgery right away, which would you choose? I appreciate your input!

Wen

[momlambert 77]

.if you had to wait six months and have it paid for, or pay yourself (and it wouldn't be a HUGE financial burden) and have the surgery right away, which would you choose? I appreciate your input!

Wen

That IS a tough one! I actually made a similar choice: I don't have insurance that would cover it but probably will have insurance for it in six months so I had to decide rather to wait or go ahead. I did find out that the insurance company I probably will have will only pay for one weight-loss surgery so if they pay originally then they won't pay for complications, should they arise. But if you are already banded they will pay for surgery to fix complications. Many insurance companies won't pay for complications if they didn't pay for the band. Sorry this is so confusing. ANYWAY, I opted to go ahead and self-pay. One of my concerns right now is that if i have a complication before I have the additional insurance, I'll have to pay again out of pocket. This is scary! Paying $13,000 once is one thing--paying it again (plus possibly more) is another thing. Also with self-pay you have to consider the risk of complications during surgery that could result in huge hospital bills. Although they are rare, you do see people on this site now and then that have those kinds of complications.

I'm happy with my decision to go ahead and self-pay six months earlier but I knew it was a risk and that was scary. Very thankfully, everything turned out great so far. Good luck with your decision! There are no easy answers--that's for sure! Karen

[bobbibandit 0]

Hi Wen

Boy thats a tough decision...to have insurance pay or self pay...

I decided to have my surgery in Feb and I knew my ins. wouldnt pay so I knew I would have to pay and once I decided that - I wanted the surgery immediately. (I had done some research about the surgery for a year or so) So I just went for it had the surgery march 12 and I am soooo happy I had it done, it has changed my life... it is still work but I am hopeful for the first time in a long time. plus I have lost 20 + pounds!

So I dont know what I would have done if my ins. would have paid if I had to wait 6 months.... I probably still would have self paid. (I am not very patient) But I am now on the road to a healthy life..

6 months is not an eternity to wait but ,you must decide what is right... but either way the surgery is a good thing, at least it is for me.

Take care & good luck

[sandranoelle 0]

Hi everyone, My name is Sandy and I live in Orem. I have been writing on this site since Sept. actually started it, feeling like I was the only one in utah. Isn't this great. all of us to support each other. I was banded by dr. Hansen like many of you. it has been 6 and 1/2 months. I have lost 60 pounds. up two pounds so I guess 58 today. the real good weight loss is when you first start and have to eat mushies. All of us who are over weight know that with any change we sometimes fall back to bad habits. and that is my problem now. Vivien calls it head hunger. nerves, stress etc ... I think that is why we need each other.

a friend of mine who had gastric bypass said to get a bean and cheese burito from taco amigo. I don't know it it is only in utah county but it is really creamy. I did some ensure and fruit soothies. soft boiled eggs. yogurt, trying to think back. baked potato mashed with fat free sour cream. It is especially hard when you work. appplesauce, don't try mushing up chinese food. it is yuk.

I felt no restriction until several fills. then more pain in my chest than anything else. watch those bite sizes and chew, chew, chew.

well, I need to go.. glad to meet you all.

[momlambert 77]

Hi everyone, My name is Sandy and I live in Orem. I have been writing on this site since Sept. actually started it, feeling like I was the only one in utah. Isn't this great. all of us to support each other. I was banded by dr. Hansen like many of you. it has been 6 and 1/2 months. I have lost 60 pounds. up two pounds so I guess 58 today. the real good weight loss is when you first start and have to eat mushies. All of us who are over weight know that with any change we sometimes fall back to bad habits. and that is my problem now. Vivien calls it head hunger. nerves, stress etc ... I think that is why we need each other.

a friend of mine who had gastric bypass said to get a bean and cheese burito from taco amigo. I don't know it it is only in utah county but it is really creamy. I did some ensure and fruit soothies. soft boiled eggs. yogurt, trying to think back. baked potato mashed with fat free sour cream. It is especially hard when you work. appplesauce, don't try mushing up chinese food. it is yuk.

I felt no restriction until several fills. then more pain in my chest than anything else. watch those bite sizes and chew, chew, chew.

well, I need to go.. glad to meet you all.

Thanks for starting this thread, Sandy. And congrats on your weight loss--10 lbs. a month average! That is awesome. I would be very happy with that myself. I'm actually hoping and planning on 4-5 lbs. a month--more would be wonderful but I don't want to get my hopes up.

Thanks for the tip on the bean and cheese burrito from Taco Amigo. I'm anxious to look them up and see where they are located--I live in Utah county so it sounds like I'm in luck. That sounds so good right now. I am looking forward to lunch--I pureed the ham hock and bean Soup I made yesterday with our leftover ham bone from Easter. Had some pureed for dinner last night and thought I had died and gone to heaven. It was SO delicious. I do get tired of cottage cheese, eggs, and Protein drinks. Variation is the key, for sure. I have twelve more days of mushies--but who's counting???

First fill (I hope) is April 30. Does Dr. Hansen's office always fill on the first fill appt. or do they just assess how much you are eating and then decide? They had me schedule another appt. on May 15 (2 weeks later). Is that for the second fill already? Just wondering.

My first post-op seminar is Saturday. I'm actually excited about that. Is anyone else going to be there? Any other newbies schedule to attend?

Good luck Utahans! It's so great to have local support. Karen

[Midijola 19]

Hi there Utahns,

I am 6 days banded and so far so good. I have a confession, I am not a Utahn but I lived there for 5 yrs and travel back there often. I am an Aussie and live in Australia. My husband is from Murray. I belong to an Aussie messenger board and have been googling and came here. I hope you dont mind but I would love to visit here too. We expect to move back to Utah in a few yrs so i will love to read about the different Drs and different things and ways you guys do things compared to here. Anyway, catch ya later!

Di

[momlambert 77]

Glad you dopped in, Di! I'm fairly new on this thread (and to lap-band land) myself but your won't find nicer, more helpful, compassionate people than here on this thread. Where did you live when you were here for five years? Were you a student? Let us know how things are going over there--I'm sure there are many similarities as well as differences. Good luck to you! Karen

[sandranoelle 0]

welcome di , it will be fun getting to know someone so far away.. like a vacation.

Karen, taco amigo is on state street in orem between 12th North and 16 north, west side of the street. also in PG towards Lindon side across from hogi yogi.. or so...

ham and bean Soup sounds good. we should pot luck it someday.. just think we would only have to bring a cup and share by the teaspoon...

by the way most of my weight loss came in the first 3 months and it was because I was in diet mode.. I didn't get a fill because I was loosing so much on my own.. until Christmas:( then I started loosing momentum.. I had my first fill end Of dec. then end of Jan and then every two weeks. they have put in 2.8 or so. I feel more pain in my chest. I guess that is restriction. I have to learn to eat things differently. I tried a bite of meat tonight... stuck.. a bbq chicken wing stuck. a teas creamed corn stuck. so I am thinking maybe it isn't necessarily stuck. maybe just restricted. who knows. this is new to all of us.. maybe we'll be skinny when we figure it out. anyway I lost 45 pounds the first 3 months and 15 the last 3 months. slowly but surely now... take care everyone. thanks for letting me ramble... sandy

[momlambert 77]

Thanks for the Taco Amigo address, Sandy. I did find it online but haven't been there yet--it's out of my "roads most traveled" area. I was planning on going Saturday but may have a complication now. Have you tried Red Iguana in SLC? My daughter is coming in on Thursday and loves to go there when she gets off the plane. I'm wondering if there is anything "mushy friendly" there.

Congrats on your weight loss! Over 60 lbs. is absolutely amazing to me. The most I've ever lost on one diet is 37 (Weight Watchers). Of course, if I were to add up all my losses over the years, I would have lost way over 60! lol.

Have a great week everyone! Karen

[foodstampchamp 3]

Congrats on your weight loss! Over 60 lbs. is absolutely amazing to me. The most I've ever lost on one diet is 37 (Weight Watchers). Of course, if I were to add up all my losses over the years, I would have lost way over 60! lol.

Have a great week everyone! Karen

I often hear people say they have lost the amount of weight they needed to lose 3 times over and such. They also say they were successful on a diet till they got off and then they gained all their weight back. I can't remember a time that I even had temporary success. I think the most I ever lost was 10 lbs on the Atkins diet. And I think we all know that your weight can fluctuate 7 lbs in just a day or two so I wonder if I can even count that as weight loss ! lol. I love being with the band.

[momlambert 77]

I often hear people say they have lost the amount of weight they needed to lose 3 times over and such. They also say they were successful on a diet till they got off and then they gained all their weight back. I can't remember a time that I even had temporary success. I think the most I ever lost was 10 lbs on the Atkins diet. And I think we all know that your weight can fluctuate 7 lbs in just a day or two so I wonder if I can even count that as weight loss ! lol. I love being with the band.

Wow! I bet you do love being with the band! Good for you--you must feel like you have a new life. Keep up the great work--I hope to follow your example!

[sandranoelle 0]

I often hear people say they have lost the amount of weight they needed to lose 3 times over and such. They also say they were successful on a diet till they got off and then they gained all their weight back. I can't remember a time that I even had temporary success. I think the most I ever lost was 10 lbs on the Atkins diet. And I think we all know that your weight can fluctuate 7 lbs in just a day or two so I wonder if I can even count that as weight loss ! lol. I love being with the band.

what does restriction feel like for you? I get pains in my chest. Not really a full feeling. sometimes I hiccup a lot. just wondering if I should get more or stay were I am. trouble is the emotional eating I can eat enough emotionally through out the day to keep my weight loss down.... sandy

[Midijola 19]

Glad you dopped in, Di! Where did you live when you were here for five years? Were you a student? Let us know how things are going over there--I'm sure there are many similarities as well as differences. Good luck to you! Karen

Hi Karen and Sandy,

Thanks for your warm welcome. Man what a hectic week I have had!! I am a student, and have had assignments due and exams this week. Being only less than 2 weeks post op it has been tough. Glad its over now so I can get back to things I enjoy....like visiting you here on the world of chat.

This week with the band has been alright. I need to get onto a routine again tho. I have my 2 week check up on monday...not sure what he will say but will also see the dietician.

As to your coupla questions Sandy, I lived mostly in Murray. I worked at Dillards. I was not a student in UT but am one now. My husband grew up in Murray. Utah is my second home I love it there......however, there is no place like home and home for me is here in OZ.

Take care fellow bandits, I will drop in again soon!

Di :nervous