dreamhappy07

Hi Minnie, I didn't develop a rash, just alot of itching around the port incision and a couple others, and I knew it had something to do with the glue like bandage over the incisions. Also, the healing process and that sticky bandage was probably both to blame. That and when the sticky stuff started coming off. I just put some neosporin on them and I was good to go. Didn't last too long, but I remember itching alot before I knew if I didn't put something on it, I would end up hurting myself. Hope this helps. Peace, Judy

LOL The email address for Rene that I use is rene@obesitycontrolcenter.com. He has responded to me very well too. Hope this helps. Judy

Sure, I will definitely let you know. I am still waiting for the itemized detailed surgical report from Rene. I will email him and get those things mailed to the insurance right away. I was already told from Regence that I would be reimbursed but they didn't say how much. They probably have to review the claim and all. So, I am really expecting some reimbursement I hope. Peace, Judy

Hey all! I really have been wanting to ask about having a Live Chat on this board or a link to join one for this forum. I belong to a message board for people with pituitary problems(had two tumor surgeries myself), and they had a link on their main page to join a live chat for one night a week. I think it would help alot of people here, newbies and oldbies. Let me know if this may even be possible as well as what you all think about it. Thanks and appreciate any and all views and replies. Peace, Judy

Hi xona, I am in Portland and Dr. Kelly Fitzpatrick does fills for Mexico patients. She is located in Milwaukee and has an office in Eugene. I have had one fill with her so far. She is great! She has a website www.gastricbands.com and that will tell you that she charges $180 for the first fill and $165 each after. All the info will be on the website. BTW, she does not use flouro, but comes recommended and is very good at fills. Hope this helps. Peace, Judy

Yeah very different, but dark to me. Nice change though...looks like fewer spams too. Peace, Judy

Awww...thank you so much for saying that. I have more to lose and maybe that is why I have lost so much in a short time. That is what I have read anyways. I guess I will deal better with the saggy skin part later on, but for now it is hiding well under my clothes. LOL You are doing very well so far and congrats on that too! You will get there and enjoy the journey. ) Peace, Judy

Congrats Emi on your successful experience! Isn't OCC and the Lucerna full of helpful and wonderful people?! I couldn't believe my eyes when I read that you woke up during surgery also. I did too and it was brief and I haven't told anyone about it or posted about it either. Didn't want to freak anyone out, but it is just a fluke I guess and they are so on top of it that you don't have time to panic or anything like that before they put you out again. I am sure it has something to do with the different kind of anesthesia they use. It makes you wake up alert instead of sooo groggy. I remember waking up and hearing spanish talking and then intense pain in my abdomen and starting to wince from the pain and then the next thing I knew I woke up in my room. Very awake actually and then got up and started walking around and around and so on...LOL My mom took a pic of me as I was still sleeping in my bed and it looked scary so I got rid of it...lol I had a mask on but not sure if it was my CPAP or oxygen. Thanks for sharing your experience and I am hoping to go back to TJ soon for a fill. Good luck on your weight loss journey. Peace, Judy

As most know who have read my posts, I have lost 66lbs since mid april '07 which was my pre-op diet start time. Well, although I feel good and happy about the weight loss and have much more to go, I have noticed and flabby and sometimes flappy skin hanging from my upper arms(bat wings), and butt and upper legs and thighs which are usually covered by clothing. Sometimes when I walk a certain way, my flappy loose thighs slap together...lol That is not often, but it has happened...very disgusting...LOL I know I have a lot more to lose, but in a short time, I have lost so much and still lose or stay steady(depending on my swelling legs and feet). How do I or even can I tone these areas up when I still suffer joint pain in my knees(seeing the doc tomorrow), and can't wear good shoes(swelling problem)? I have seen after pics of people on tv that have dropped alot of weight and before they have PS and their skin is all wrinkled and shrunken...lol Maybe the flabby skin will go away when I drop more weight? Like shrivvel up and then I can either get PS or tone it now? Any advice or suggestions will be appreciated. Peace, Judy

Hi Kari, I have to resend my forms in because the others got lost and then found out I need an itemized bill that will probably be in spanish, but that won't be a problem. I have Regence BCBS PPO and there is an exclusion in my benefits for anything related to weight loss, including surgery, so if I get money reimbursed, then I know anyone can. I was already told I would be, but time will tell. Good luck with yours. Peace, Judy

Well, my insurance company lost my claim I guess because I found out a month later after mailing them, there is nothing in their system about any international claim. poop! Do I need more of a specific itemized bill other than what the cost was for the surgery and all the other doctors? They didn't say but that I should make sure I have an ITEMIZED bill of the costs for the surgery. I did get one, but not so specific that it says how much and what meds I took and so on like that. Any help you could give would be really helpful before I submit them again. Peace, Judy

Hi Dayna, I am in Portland also and Dr. Kelly Fitzpatrick does fills for MX patients and she is excellent at what she does. Without flouro though, but I have had one fill so far with her and it was a great experience. She is in Milwaukee and has a website www.gastricbands.com . I hope this helps. Sorry she isn't a flouro doc, but before I went to her, I heard great things about her and her experience and since she was close by and reasonably priced, I am glad I did give her a try. I REALLY want to go back to TJ someday for a fill, but financially it won't happen this year. Possibly next year depending on my fill needs. Good luck on your weight loss and fill journey. Peace, Judy

I am prone to sinus infections since I have had two pituitary tumor surgeries and the docs found a cyst in my left sinus cavity. They didn't remove the cyst, but I have become prone to infections...not sure why, but I am positive I have one now. My only fear is antibiotics in the big pill or capsule form. Is this safe for the band and my stomach? I have been given amoxicillin in the past for these infections, but don't know how they will affect my stomach if anything. Since I don't take my GERD med(Prevacid) anymore, I am concerned about reflux, etc. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Peace, Judy

I have finally come to realize that I probably need to start taking some kind of multivitamin. But, really want to take one that isn't too strong and won't interfere with my meds. I take elavil and lortab and estradiol. Something that is easy to take and digest, etc. What does everyone take, if anything? I was hoping to not need them, but since I have started losing a lot of hair and my skin getting dry, etc., I figured I am probably missing some important vitamins. Thanks for any suggestions. Peace, Judy

Thanks for the calming replies. I know I have read about this problem with others, but my surgery was so long ago, I figured it could be something else. Like I am seeing my doc today about that scary lump in the middle of my chest between my breasts. I usually never stress about stuff, but that is probably what is stressing me more. All will be well I hope and after trying to get more protein in and another fill, I shoud be good to go! Peace, Judy

Hey all, I am freaked out right now because in the last week I have been losing ALOT of hair! I mean handfuls and throughout the day they drop here and there. What could be going on here? I am getting enough protein every day and I drink at least a whole bottle of vitamin water every day. I don't get it and it's really freaking me out! I hope someone out there can help me understand what might be going on. Peace soon, Judy

Hey Mikey, Thanks so much for writing and letting us know you are good to go and on your way to a great weight loss journey. Aren't they all just wonderful there?! It is great to know that people like them do exist and you feel at ease that all will be well. Take care and keep in touch. Any questions? Ask away anyday! Peace, Judy

The bagel probably went down easy because your swelling has gone down and your looser than you were. You may have chewed well enough for it to slide on down. But be really careful and don't push it. It is so easy to think you are safe and in the clear. I have never pb'd or slimed, etc. I hope to never do any of that. This won't ruin your band. Just stay on the liquids for another week and then go for it and enjoy real food again. Judy p.s. At the same time you are at now, I was so scared of eating anything solid, but was getting depressed and desperate. I ate a cookie to mush and spit it out. I did the same thing with a couple other things and was satisfied. Not a good habit, but I never got into the habit and was fine. By the time I was able to to eat solid foods, I was nervous, but just remembered to chew to goo and all was well.

Hi kim, You are healing and so your swelling is going down and therefore your getting more open and ready to eat solid food. The hunger is the worst but the best thing you can do is follow all post-op directions and stay on the liquids for one more week. It really sucks I know. I bet that bagel didn't feel too great huh? Good luck on your journey and hang in there! Peace, Judy

LOL...too funny! If the guys are married, they should have no problem with the TMI part...lol I had a hysterectomy 39...45 now. Never had kids, but love them, and seriously don't miss those TOM days. I was on the depo shot because I was so heavy, I couldn't deal with the TOM...heavy as in fat. So, the shot stopped it all together. Whew! that was nice. Then I got struck with painful fibroids and became incontinent with no bladder control, but still had to beg on my hands and knees practically to get the surgery. Best begging I ever did. Anywho, his direct email address is rene@obesitycontrolcenter.com . Hope it works for you and I wish you the best of luck as others are also trying to get some moolah back. Take care, Judy

Hi again, I have been wanting to post about this for awhile. Since I have dropped a good amount of weight, my knees, legs and hips hurt alot more than usual. It seems so strange that doctors tell you before that your weight is wearing on your joints, so if you lost some weight, you would feel better. Yeah right! What the heck is going on here?! I have lost 60 lbs, and my knees(especially my right knee), has been more painful and popping and cracking more than ever. I have osteoarthritis in my hip too. I refuse to take those joint supplements because firstly, they take weeks to take affect, and secondly, they are expensive, and thirdly, it's just another pill to take and I am fed up with that. I am happy now that I don't need to take my Prevacid for GERD, and my naproxen for the arthritis(been on it for years and it just makes me swell), even though it helped before with the pain. Don't want to take it also because it can hurt the lining of my stomach and possibly the band. Stiffness in my knees are worse than ever too. Before I got serious about my weight and to get the band, I was told by my ortho doc that the next step on my right knee is arthroscopy. Hey, if it helps then I am all for it, but with the excess weight I was carrying, he wasn't too gung ho about it. Don't blame him because I wasn't very strong or sturdy then. That would be rough. So, I was wondering if anyone else has had to get other surgeries done after they lost weight enough to handle it? Thanks all for any replies. Peace, Judy

Hi all, I recently got my surgical reports faxed from OCC and saw that a Sliding hiatal hernia was found. I didn't know what that was until I researched it and found a pic of it. Prior to surgery, I was taking Prevacid for GERD. Haven't taken anymore since surgery which is great! I didn't see anything about the hernia needing or was repaired, but there was alot of medical terms in the report that even I couldn't figure out...LOL Now, since I have dropped weight, I have a bulging lump in the middle of my chest that is tender and achy at times and sometimes I have some reflux or heartburn, but not alot and short lived usually. Was this hernia repaired and/or could it have reoccured and caused that lump? I haven't taken anything at all for the heartburn I have occasionally. Just don't want to. I know that usually Dr. Ortiz repairs hiatal hernias, but not sure if this one needed repair or was repaired. Not even sure if that is what it is, but it's the only thing I can come up with ya know. Thanks for any replies in advance! Peace, Judy

I emailed Rene directly and asked for a detailed surgical report and itemized bill and he faxed them to me in couple weeks at my work fax. Some have gotten them by mail or fax. He replied pretty quickly to let me know he will be sending them. I felt exactly the same way and didn't want to call so I didn't bother him because I know everyone is so busy there. Good luck. Judy p.s. what other substantial surgery are you having to have soon if I may ask? Hope it's not serious.

What insurance do you have Minnie? I have Regence BC/BS PPO and there is an exclusion in my insurance benefits for any kind of weight loss help. I submitted an International claim form on the 10th of Aug. and keep writing them about the status and they said it takes up to 30 days to process. I am so hoping and praying I get some back. I have benefited myself and them by saving money on meds I don't need anymore. I was told a couple weeks ago that I should be reimbursed for some of my expenses. Good luck and I will pray for you and anyone else waiting on the same process. Peace, Judy

Oh my! Sorry to hear that Donna. Were you at the beginning or end of your TOM maybe? Not sure how that works. but I have read it does weird stuff with restriction levels. Glad to hear you are felling some restriction now, but sorry you had to have it this way. Take care, Judy