Lucky # Sevens- July 07 Bandsters

[marcyinak 0]

It's annoying to pay so much b/c I could do it myself if I had access to the right kind of needle. It's not a difficult procedure--nurses do it all the time when administering chemotherapy or drugs for other chronic diseases. I think the manufacturer of the band system has everyone worried about damaging the band and being sued. From what I've read, it seems to be a political issue more than anything else.

quote]

Lindaa - I asked my fill doc (in Anchorage) about maybe someday showing me how to do it and doing it myself or having a nurse friend from here come with me and train her to do it. I have to admit that he sort of looked like he might just do it, but then said that there was a lot of risk in sticking the tubing and not the port. He uses a very thin needle (I've heard of other docs using a large bore needle) and my port pops when I raise my legs so my fills are fairly inconsequential. Yeah, cheaper fills would be nice (I pay $250 for the fill which includes a week of tweaking if necessary, but then I also have to pay for the plane ticket to Anchorage at $489 and hotel, and meals, $$$). I still admit that it can't be THAT hard and we should be able to do it ourselves, but maybe going to the doc keeps me accountable and also gives me some reassurance for how I'm doing.

[ribearty 544]

I had a fill yesterday and I happened to look up and saw the size of the needle the doctor was using and I told him I wish I hadn't seen it. He told me "it's nothing you haven't had done before and they don't use super size needles". I told him, "I know but before I was always laying down and hadn't actually seen the needle." It was big. I don't want to scare anyone. He told me that he thought I was getting very close to my sweet spot because he can feel pressure as he is putting in my fills. The last 4 fills have all been 1/2 cc. I can tell a difference with this one, Water is going down a lot slower. Take care, keep up the good work and let's hope I can get back on my treadmill on 1/21. I miss it so.

Have to go I'm on call and you never know what will come in as urgent.

[Kristin07 0]

Who watches Big Medicine? Yay! Its back on!

[Brandy 0]

I was self pay and get a year's worth of fills, although I have only had two so far. Didn't think I needed one in December, but may rethink it as I've been up and down 2.5 pounds for a few weeks now. Ate more than I should have over the holidays. Lost it and then went back up this week due to period.... Anyway, I think that fills are only $100 to $150 with my Doc after the first of the year, which I think is reasonable.

Hope all are well!

[jackie506 1]

:eek:

Ok Jackie, Don't panic. Now listen...there are two types of cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoproteins. HDLs are really good, while LDLs suck. If you are exercising or losing weight or eating right, your HDL level can go soaring. This is good, although it makes your overall cholesterol look lousy. Your doctor really needs to always check for what is called the HDL/LDL Ratio. The higher the % of HDLs in your blood, the healthier you are. If he/she is not providing you with that score, the overall number is worthless!! I too have a genetic predisposition to a high score, but the magic is in that ratio. Hang in there, kid and don't let the bastards get you down.

No you are right. I should have explained that they did give me all the numbers. My LDL went up 6 points my trigylcerides? went down I think (I don't know which is better up or down with those but I think it was down and either way she said that the way they went was good). My My LDL's (bad cholesterol) went from 134 too 195 so my bad cholesterol went up. UUUUGGGHHHHHHHH!!!! Thanks for trying to explain it too me though. Lets hope for better results next month!!

[peaches9 3]

Peaches, I hope you do not have to go through this again. I don't know if you had insurance or were a self pay. If insurance covered the original surgery, would they cover this or if you are under the requirements would the insurance company deny because you no longer met requirements. Good luck.

No I think it will be o.k. if I have to have revision surg. Its' covered by my original Surgeon at TLBC... I paid $16,000 and if I have a leak due to band failure then its THEIR problem not mine.

I feel that they will look after me for sure. No worries there, I just don't want to have another proc. if I can avoid it.. eh.?

[peaches9 3]

p.s. I am still restricted YEAH and have started to notice the #'s coming down each day on the scale. Praise the Lord!!!

I am a happy girl today

[IndioGirl55 32]

Good Morning Ladies

How is everyone today???

No much going on - had my hair done last night and went to dinner with gf - 1/2 taco - bite of enchillda (to salty) mostl chips & salsa - It's funny how chips & salsa are fine going down - but the taco - meat would stick a tad..

Kristen - I watch Big Medicine too - I have it scheduled on my dvr (tivo) and when I was cking my recording - I saw that it was back on...

Peaches I am glad you have restriction - it is a wonderful thing... I just really wish they could band our heads...

Kari - How scary - I hear about legionnaires - most on cruise ships - but I get I have heard about hotels too... Do you have any lingering effects?? What does being diabetic have to do with stopping eating??

Heck - when I was out to dinner last night my gf said that she didn't want to be an enablers - I told her you aren't - I can eat regular food and that I sometime miss pigging out - but the band is the greatest tool cuz it won't let you - plus the cook was way to heavy handed with the salt - the gualmole (sp) and enchilldas where WAY to salty - couldn't even eat them - which was ok cuz I didn't nee to any way.

ribearty - that's how I know that I stil have restriction is when drinking water..

Oh I just see where they changed our smilies...:smile::tongue: and it looks like we lost some too.

Well it's 8:15 gotta get to work.. Talk to you all later

[kirajh 0]

Janet,

I'm afraid to stop eating when I hit full now cause it isn't much and I am afraid my sugar levels will bottom out. Get light headed and the shakes. In fact, that's how the Legionaires was discovered. Levels bottomed out and I was too weak to do anything. Hubby came home from work and found me on the floor, almost comatose.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Janet,

I'm afraid to stop eating when I hit full now cause it isn't much and I am afraid my sugar levels will bottom out. Get light headed and the shakes. In fact, that's how the Legionaires was discovered. Levels bottomed out and I was too weak to do anything. Hubby came home from work and found me on the floor, almost comatose.

I have an x-bf who had diabetes so I know a tad about it - well what I can remember from 12 yrs ago - Couldnt you just drink like a little OJ before a meal to keep your sugar up - Do I have it the right way it you take a shot you gotta eat right away or your sugar will drop. I remember James - breaking out into a cold sweat if he didn't eat something soon after his shot... Then had to give him something sweet to bring his sugar back up...

[Frustrated 1]

This morning I decided it was time for a fill. I've been fluctuating back and forth between 195 and 198 since the beginning of December and have had a fill in the back of my mind for the past few weeks. But recovering from breast surgery and knowing I had another follow-up surgery to come at some point had me putting it off. Well this morning I got on the scale and it was 199 and I'm panicking that it'll go back into the 200s if I don't do something. My appetite has increased as has my ability to eat about 1-1.5 cups of food in a single sitting.

So I was on the phone with the doctor's office this morning. He only does fills on Fridays and he was fully booked for today and next Friday, then he goes on vacation for 2 weeks. She's unsure of his fill schedule until he gets back from vacation and makes his decision then. *sigh* She told me to call back at the end of the month. :smile:

This doesn't sit well with me. I'm going to need a lot of control over the next month. It's been tough for a couple of months now, and I feel I've been doing okay some of the time and not so okay the rest. But the tide has turned and I'm losing more battles than I'm winning. I don't expect to win them all. That's unrealistic. But my band is the weapon that I need to tweak from time to time to help me get back on the winning track. And now I have to wait it out on my own for the artillery to fight this war. :tongue::frown:

/rant

[IndioGirl55 32]

I got on the scale and it was 199 and I'm panicking that it'll go back into the 200s if I don't do something. My appetite has increased as has my ability to eat about 1-1.5 cups of food in a single sitting.

/rant

Ruby

Congrats on Onederland

I understand your frustration on getting appointment for fill - My doc only dose fills on Weds - and last time I called trying to move my date from 11/5 to 10/1 i couldn't get in until 10/24 - so this time when he said see you in 2 months (after not giving me a fills) I said no... I want to come back in 1 month cuz you are to hard to get into see when I want

I just figured if I don't need one this month I can call and cancel and then just reschdule for February... So if I were you when you do get in make an appointment for the next month and you can always cancel.

I eat about the same as you if not a tad more at least at dinner - I ususally have 4-5 oz fish - 1/2 c rice and 1 cup minimum veggies for dinner every nite and if an am hungry i will eat more veggies - lunch any where 1 - 1 1/2 cups veggies and some Protein - Breakfast yogurt & fruit..

IMHO i don't think eating 1/2 cup of food is enought both mentally & phyically - this is why i brought up the phyiscological issue of a fill last week -

Just make healthy food choices 98% of the time and you will win the battle..

[salsa1877 10]

This morning I decided it was time for a fill. I've been fluctuating back and forth between 195 and 198 since the beginning of December and have had a fill in the back of my mind for the past few weeks. But recovering from breast surgery and knowing I had another follow-up surgery to come at some point had me putting it off. Well this morning I got on the scale and it was 199 and I'm panicking that it'll go back into the 200s if I don't do something. My appetite has increased as has my ability to eat about 1-1.5 cups of food in a single sitting.

So I was on the phone with the doctor's office this morning. He only does fills on Fridays and he was fully booked for today and next Friday, then he goes on vacation for 2 weeks. She's unsure of his fill schedule until he gets back from vacation and makes his decision then. *sigh* She told me to call back at the end of the month. :smile:

This doesn't sit well with me. I'm going to need a lot of control over the next month. It's been tough for a couple of months now, and I feel I've been doing okay some of the time and not so okay the rest. But the tide has turned and I'm losing more battles than I'm winning. I don't expect to win them all. That's unrealistic. But my band is the weapon that I need to tweak from time to time to help me get back on the winning track. And now I have to wait it out on my own for the artillery to fight this war. :tongue::frown:

/rant

I feel your pain. I was completely unfilled for 42 days and I REFUSED to gain any weight. In fact when I was first unfilled I was still above the 200 pound mark and I was more determined that ever to get below it. I did, but not without major struggles. It will probably be more difficult than you hope, but the band should still provide some support, even if it is not what you need. What I did during the time was to eat a lot of salad. Wishbone makes these new salad spritzers that are actually pretty good. I don't like sweet salad dressings so I was happy to find that they had a caesar salad flavored one that was not sweet. I would eat 1-2 cups of salad before my meal and that would help cut down on the hunger and calories. Now I was completely unfilled with ZERO restriction so I could eat even more than you probably can. Maybe if you started with .5-1 cup of salad followed by your Protein (or vice versa to follow proper band rules) that would curb your appetite. If you don't like salad, choose another low calorie veggie that you do like. I know what you mean about a tough couple of months. I haven't had anything like the infection that you have, but I had the lodged food and was on liquids for a week, followed by 42 days of no restriction and INTENSE hunger, followed now by a too tight fill that is causing me to be on liquids only. Believe me, I feel your pain.

Good luck and keeping coming back here when you have a bad day. All these wonderful people got me through my time of unrestriction and not my time of too much restriction!

As for me, I am pretty certain that I am going to the doctor on Monday. I called today to see if I could eat anything besides the Protein Drinks and broth. The nurse told me that I could start to blend in items to the broth or eat Soups as long as they are no thicker than a Protein Drink. So for lunch today I ran home and threw some FF refried Beans in with my beef broth and I feel like I have died and gone to heaven! They were soooooooo gooooooood. They didn't look pretty:eek: but who cares! Well now I have to plan for a sub:frown: so I should probably get back to work.

[jackie506 1]

Ruby I am sorry to hear about you lack of restriction. I am worried also that it will be harder to schedule fills with my docs PA. She has started doing them on Wednesdays only because she said she is just swamped with running back and forth between the halls of the hospital and the office. I totally understand her reasoning though. I am like Janet. I schedule a fill for every month when I leave. If I don't need it I just tell them when I get to the office that I don't need it. For the first year after surgery my doc requires all band patients to be seen once a month to make sure we are doing ok and keep us on track. I have to say I really like that. It really makes me even more accountable because I know that I will be seeing them.

How are you healing from your infection? Hope you are doing well now. I don't know if you mentioned this before and I apologize in advance if you will have to repeat yourself but when will you be having surgery on your breast again to replace the implant if you don't mind my asking.

[lindaa 1]

OK, Phyl, Today's the day! I'll be thinking about you.

Wish me the strength to not overindulge in all the party food we'll be having. I didn't do very well at the office party last night--too many liquid calories to wash down the othrer forbidden foods. I was kind of bummed because I was supposed to get a fill in the morning but they cancelled the appointment at the last minute. I was counting on being on liquids, so I wouldn't eat. That plan didn't work. Today's party will be better. See, that's all we have to do in Wisconsin--Packers and party. We need to win today so we have something to look forward to besides the cold, slushy, grey landscape that will be here for the next 5 months! We need the green and gold! 7 hours 15 minutes!! GO PACK