Lucky # Sevens- July 07 Bandsters

[dmtjet 0]

Lynette, Yes, I enjoy the bike, never thought I would, but honestly I do! Still can't believe I am on it, because when I was 50 pounds less, I thought I was too big to ride!!!!!! Unbelievable, but I think last night at Bible Study when my aunt had this revelation, may be true ... though I laughed when she said it, I've thought about it since, lol!!! She said that once I had the band put in, I felt like I had "IT!" and started living my life like that, even though for the most part, nothing has changed other than the band! That even though I haven't lost the weight I want to lose yet (some, but nowhere near what I need to lose), I am living as though I have already done it! She is right ... it was funny to hear it voiced, because I guess I didn't see it in me! I know I feel better and I know I have hope now, but I didn't realize that I was already acting and behaving like a "thin" person!!! LOL, can you believe it? Kind of strange to hear how others see us changing! Hey, if there is going to be a change in me, I'm thankful it is a good one, lol!!! Just too funny!

Phyllser, so glad you had a nice anniversary! Sounds like a beautiful dinner! Oh, and loved the rubbermaid idea for portions!!! Have to remember that one!

It is frustrating when our significant others want to "help" us!! But I think if we stick to our guns and "gently" remind them that we are old enough to make those decisions for ourselves, with time, they will respect our decisions!

IndioGirl, gotcha on the eating too much thing! I would say I can eat between 1 and 2 cups at a sitting, depending on what it is. I try to keep it under that, but I KNOW I could eat at least that much and maybe more! The lady that was banded when I was says that the nutritionist meant that when you chew it up, it only measures 1/2 cup, but that's not what I understood! Wish she were right, lol!!!:nervous Also, I totally understand about the evening demons!!! ... I can do beautifully all day long and evening is when it hits and I just think I HAVE to have something ... thank goodness for SF fudgesicles, they have been my saving grace, lol!!! Can't tell you how many boxes of them I have bought since surgery, lol!!! YIKES!:help:

Wrangler, congratulations on the weight loss! That is fantastic! You are doing something right, Girl!!! Keep it up!!! We are proud of you and you have to be psyched!:whoo:

Brandy, sounds like you are doing fabulous! Gee, you have to have major willpower! But it does seem after a few days of very strict and small amounts, you do lose that hungry feeling! Keep going like you are and it will not be long to you are lean and mean ... you'll be one great looking hottie!!!:clap2:

forgve70x7, how nice to have an exchange student! You all will pick up sooo much culture! Such a wonderful adventure! And the baby ... ahh, I am soooo jealous! Nothing like them, but very demanding on your time, lol!!! Try to relax a little!:nono:

bostonchic, hang in there, it will get better! Just enjoy this time of losing, 'cause once you get through that phase, seems to come to a screeching halt, lol!!!!

Jackie, sorry to hear about your tooth whoas!!! Not fun and very miserable, only had a toothache once and ended up with a root canal from it, but let me tell you, it wasn't a pleasant adventure!!! Don't envy you at all!:help:

Laurend, totally understand about brothers wanting to "help!" Mine is awesome, but boy he is in administration and he tends to take the "I'm in control, now listen to me approach!!!" Let's just say, sometimes I don't quite want to hear that, even it there is truth to what he says!!! I have always been the type of person that if I am told I CAN'T do something, I'm bound to do it, just to prove I can!!! LOL:confused:

Ssankofa, Go for it, Girl! Things should be working just fine! LOL:o

[dmtjet 0]

Phyllser, Congratulations on the "Anniversary Celebration!" LOL :whoo:

One of the ladies I keep in touch with that was banded where I was, said that she has 9.5 in a 10 band, but said she asked the doctor if that was nearly maxed out and he said there was still plenty of room to adjust, lol!!!! So go figure with that one!!!:faint:

Dianne, You haven't had your surgery yet? Are you scheduled? All I can say is that it is "single handedly the BEST thing I have EVER done for myself!" No regrets here!!!:clap2:

silntwhispers, if you are good with that amount, you are definitely doing great!!!! Not much better you could do!!! I can eat way more than that, but have to fight the URGE!!!!

[dmtjet 0]

Hello to all my buddies I've missed ... Kathy, Dini, Sunny, Chim ... hope all is well with each of you and that you are enjoying your last days of summer!!!! Man, don't want to say that one, that just stinks, lol!!!! Can't believe it is winding down already!!!:faint:

[silntwhispers 0]

silntwhispers, if you are good with that amount, you are definitely doing great!!!! Not much better you could do!!! I can eat way more than that, but have to fight the URGE!!!!

I can DEFINATELY eat more .. and frankly I have on a few occassions. I just get really freaked out about "stretching" my pouch. I guess I just don't know how big it really is (they say a golf ball but it's hard to visualize that as my stomach) so I am afraid of screwing up. Does anyone else feel this way?

[DLW 0]

Nope, no surgery yet. I have to go for my physical next Tuesday the 21st. They will then submit to my insurance company. I've already seen the psychologist and nutritionist and have gotten the go ahead. My insurance paid my initial visit with the doctor, which by the way was $1400 for a one hour visit! Wholly cow! He is in my insurance plan so they paid him like $550 and I paid a co-pay of $30. It would seem that if they paid the doctor the visit then they would more then likely pay for the surgery too. I really hope it goes smoothly so I'll be able to get it done and over with before my grand baby is born in December. Maybe a thinner gramma by then?? That would be very cool. Thanks for replying dmtjet. Dianne

[dmtjet 0]

I can DEFINATELY eat more .. and frankly I have on a few occassions. I just get really freaked out about "stretching" my pouch. I guess I just don't know how big it really is (they say a golf ball but it's hard to visualize that as my stomach) so I am afraid of screwing up. Does anyone else feel this way?

Yes, I do understand! I have that fear also, but I also have a "Food Addiction!" I do like food, sad but true! Like one of my banded friends says, "If I could control how much and what I ate, I wouldn't need the band!" That is soooo me! I fight those "I want to eat everything and anything" demons every day! I really hope that someday I am not prone to their influence, lol!!:help:

[dmtjet 0]

Nope, no surgery yet. I have to go for my physical next Tuesday the 21st. They will then submit to my insurance company. I've already seen the psychologist and nutritionist and have gotten the go ahead. My insurance paid my initial visit with the doctor, which by the way was $1400 for a one hour visit! Wholly cow! He is in my insurance plan so they paid him like $550 and I paid a co-pay of $30. It would seem that if they paid the doctor the visit then they would more then likely pay for the surgery too. I really hope it goes smoothly so I'll be able to get it done and over with before my grand baby is born in December. Maybe a thinner gramma by then?? That would be very cool. Thanks for replying dmtjet. Dianne

Ahh, sounds like you are well on your way!!! Good for you! Unbelievable the amount for an office visit! I can honestly say that other than my copays, I didn't see a dime being billed to my insurance company! I was a little surprised by that, unless it is all built into the final bill, but if it is, I didn't notice it!

Congratulations on the upcoming grandbaby!!! That is just too cool! Will this be your first? I can't wait to have grandchildren! Do you know if you will be having a boy or girl? Either would be fine with me, both would be that much better, lol!!!! That is just awesome!!!:whoo:

[only4me 0]

Nope, no surgery yet. I have to go for my physical next Tuesday the 21st. They will then submit to my insurance company. I've already seen the psychologist and nutritionist and have gotten the go ahead. My insurance paid my initial visit with the doctor, which by the way was $1400 for a one hour visit! Wholly cow! He is in my insurance plan so they paid him like $550 and I paid a co-pay of $30. It would seem that if they paid the doctor the visit then they would more then likely pay for the surgery too. I really hope it goes smoothly so I'll be able to get it done and over with before my grand baby is born in December. Maybe a thinner gramma by then?? That would be very cool. Thanks for replying dmtjet. Dianne

DLW- you might want to check with your insurance in reguards to what they accept as prior weight loss efforts. For myself, after going through all of the testing required for surgery, my insurance company did not accept anything but 6 months of documented weight loss visits with a physician. Jennycraig, LAweightloss, weightwatchers, did not count even though I had documentation from all of those that I went. It had to de from a physician. So, needless to say how bummed I was to have to extend things another 6 mos. Just a little advise to check it out.

[dmtjet 0]

DLW- you might want to check with your insurance in reguards to what they accept as prior weight loss efforts. For myself, after going through all of the testing required for surgery, my insurance company did not accept anything but 6 months of documented weight loss visits with a physician. Jennycraig, LAweightloss, weightwatchers, did not count even though I had documentation from all of those that I went. It had to de from a physician. So, needless to say how bummed I was to have to extend things another 6 mos. Just a little advise to check it out.

I had to do the 6 months Physician guided weight consultations too! What a joke!!! They weigh you and mark it down as a weight consultation! Not much to it, for what it counts for! A shame that other avenues of weight management don't count, doesn't make sense to me!!!

[Frustrated 1]

It would seem that if they paid the doctor the visit then they would more then likely pay for the surgery too.

Not necessarily. My insurance co. paid for my initial consultation with my surgeon but I was denied twice for surgery before getting a final approval. There were a lot of hoops I had to jump through before being successful.

[DLW 0]

I have a grandson who was 9 this past July. My daughter and her husband have been trying for 8 years to have another baby but were not able to due to my daughters size. She had the gastric bypass 2 years ago this past April. She lost about 100 pounds. She became pregnant! Her due date is Dec. 23rd. As a matter of fact she is seeing a Perintologist today. The pregnancy is considered a high risk pregnancy. She will also find out today what she will be having. I'm excited about that! She did have an ultrasound a couple of weeks ago but they were not 100% as to the sex so they wouldn't confirm it. Looks like a girl though and my daughter is 100% convinced that it is. We shall see in a few hours. :-) I hope that it is a girl for her sake but my grandson would love to have a baby brother. lol A girl would be named Brooklynn Nichol and a boy would be Aiden Christopher.

I had my physician send a letter to the surgeon with all the attempts for weight loss. I've pretty much been dieting on and off since I was about 13 years old. Hopefully the page long list of attempts will justify the surgery. Fingers crossed. Dianne

[DLW 0]

Oh that would sooooo stink if I had to prove more diet attempts. Geeeez, what do they think anyway?? Like we haven't struggled with it long enough? Augh!

[IndioGirl55 32]

Howdy ya'll. I've been away for a while due to life keeping me extremely busy. However I do have good news. I've now lost 31 pounds! My first goal was to break the 30# mark, my next goal is #35 mark.

I feel so good. My knees don't hurt walking up and down stairs any more. We were talking about my weight loss at work and in the warehouse they have 1#, 5# and 25# bags. We went back and stacked them up on each other and it really helped me realize how much 31# is! It's crazy to think I use to carry that around on my body.

Eating hasn't been bad at all. The problem I have is I eat Breakfast so early due to work and then have to wait 6 hours for lunch and I'm starved by lunch time. I have to reschedule my first fill next month due to work reasons but I'm really looking forward to it so it'll help with the hunger.

Hope everyone else is doing well. Hang in there if it's rough - you can do it!

CONGRATULATIONS !!!!! :whoo::whoo::whoo::whoo:

When you consider our excess baggage in terms like sack of potatoes etc - we really are carrying around TON of weight no wonder we get worn out so fast.

Great job !!!!!!:clap2:

[Frustrated 1]

Oh that would sooooo stink if I had to prove more diet attempts. Geeeez, what do they think anyway?? Like we haven't struggled with it long enough? Augh!

<br /> <br /> I think it's more along the lines of being in the right frame of mind for the surgery. It's why they also require a psych evaluation prior to surgery as well. They don't want to approve surgery for people who haven't seriously tried other ways to lower their weight and quite often they require documented proof of your efforts.<br /> <br /> I also believe it helps them weed out the less-than-serious people. Those who won't make the effort to gather the paperwork and do six months of physician controlled weight management appear to be less concerned about it than someone who is willing to do anything they can to get approved.

[only4me 0]

Jeanie- It truly was a joke, especially after paying for all of the testing to be done, now the stupid ins company had to pay my primary care dr every month for 6 mos. So stupid, a waste of their money and my time.

DLW- my ins company did not accept the letter from my physician. They required me to go, for him to fill out the form and fax it in monthly- Trust me, my physician was pissed and didnt even want to see me for the 6 mos-He was not very supportive of the surgery either. Needless to say, I switched Drs