bogiesmom

Thanks for posting this Mandy. You reminded me of another post i have to start regarding the uses of Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges as a sub for mayo and cream Cheese. I have been meaning to get to it but I have been too busy enjoying sandwiches spread with laughing cow light wedges on Oroweat Sandwich Thins

Just to add to what Shelby posted above... When you get cleared for check out from the OCC be sure to ask about getting a Surgery Report sent to you and make sure you dilegently follow up for it. I have found that when dealing with doctors that have their guard up about mexican patients you get a lot further with documentation and mentioning that you have a surgery report helps in keeping the conversation going. You might want to ask the OCC if you could also get a copy of your pre-OP testing results and that may help you as well. There is no such thing as too much documentation as far as sceptic/cautious doctors are concerned. Even if it just means that they think you have all your ducks in lined up in a row that goes a long way. I stopped in to my primary doctor's office a month post op for a general physical exam as well as to give her a copy of my surgery report so that in the event I did need to go to someone locally for fills she could at least provide a post-op referal. She was so pleased that I followed up with her actually so I earned points there too.

Hi Steve, I am not sure what you mean by the question is more applicable for people with a lower BMI of 40? I would think the opposite would be true. It seems to me that people with higher BMIs are more comfortable in their own skin. I have always ahd a BMI lower than 40 and I my self-image has always been scewed. At 120 pounds I did not think I was thin or had a great body by any means. So I really doubt being banded and loosing the weight again is going to have an impact on my self image. My being AWARE of my thought process AND my own self image is going to allow me to change the script that repeats in my head. I am starting by working on this now by thinking positive thoughts when I look in the mirror each time. I mentally compliment myself on at least one of my features and try to find an aspect of my physical being that I am happy with. BTW, as far as excercising in-doors goes. I bought an elliptical trainer from Norditrak 2 years ago and pay $31.50/mo in financing and am almost done paying it off. I got the warentee with it and it is in my living room facing the TV. I love it! It is the best thing in the world and the price beats a gym membership. They now make a commercial grade one that you can buy for about $1100.00. Sweeet!

Who is your mobile carrier? I have Sprint and they told me that they do not have an International rate plan for Mexico but I discovered when I got there that there were parts of TJ where my phone thought I was in the US still (since it is a border town) and that I did not get charged for those calls. I was only charged 1.96 for the whole trip and my mother has Sprint too and she was only charged an additional 10.00 but she used her cell phone more than I did while we were there. So if your carrier says that there will not be any coverage I would be suspect since you are in signal range of US towers. The only way I see it not being available is if you have one of those regional carriers like Metro PCS. The regional carrier for the San Diego area is Cricket and not Metro PCS.

WW POINTS® Tracker entries Saturday, February 06, 2010 Morning 2 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1.5 1 Tbsp sugar 1 1 tsp coffee, instant or regular, powder 0 Subtotal 2.5 Midday 1 item(s) Spinach pancakes 2 1/2 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute 2.5 1/4 cup(s) Pizza Shredded Four Cheese 2 1/4 cup(s) salsa 0 Subtotal 6.5 Evening No entries for this meal time. Subtotal 0 Anytime No entries for this meal time. Subtotal 0 Food POINTS values total used 9 Food POINTS values remaining 14

I think the term you are looking for is a Bariatric Surgeon or Bariatric Specialist. Google this - "bariatric surgeon in alaska"

Red & Angie (for another post similar to this one) thank you so Much!! Red- you and I have the same band and I have 6ccs right now. I know everyone is different but your post above has convinced me even more that I really only need another .5 cc at my next fill on 2/15. It is posts like this one that really make this board priceless in my opinion. I have had 8 restiction episodes in the last month since being banded and out of those 8 episodes 2 resulted in me literally eating only 1/2 my food that I normally would eat. So in my opinion I know I am close and I do not want to be in a situation where I can only eat a couple of bites at best that would devistate me mentally. Being in tune with my body I know that I should experience good restiction at 6.5 or 7cc so I am going to play it safe. For us Red we can b/c we live so close to the OCC.

Just another price I pay for living in the big city. And so the saga continues with... Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me? - Jen Lancaster

WW POINTS® Tracker entries Friday, February 05, 2010 Morning 1/2 item(s) Fudge Nut Brownie(s) 3.5 2/3 item(s) Cookies Milk Chocolate Chip Cookie With Walnuts 4.5 1 tsp sugar substitute 0 1/2 tall Beverages Brewed Coffee 0 2 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1.5 Subtotal 9.5 Midday 3 item(s) egg white(s) 1 1/2 cup(s) cooked broccoli 0 2/3 cup(s) cooked tomatoes 0.5 2/3 cup(s) cooked spinach 0 1 cup(s) Split Pea with Ham Soup 2 1/3 cup(s) salsa 0 1/2 cup(s) Low-Fat 2% Milkfat Small Curd Cottage Cheese 2 Subtotal 5.5 Evening No entries for this meal time. Subtotal 0 Anytime No entries for this meal time. Subtotal 0 Food POINTS values total used 15 Food POINTS values remaining 8

Too bad you do not have a meeting with a J&J rep. I think most of us newer banders as of 7/2009 have the Realize band. Oh well.

Athens Mini Fillo Shells + Snickers PER SERVING (2 Snickers-filled shells): 91 calories, 4.75g fat, 53mg sodium, 11g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 6g sugars, <1g protein -- POINTS® value 2* Yup, you read that right. We're actually advocating the purchase of a Snickers bar. But don't bite straight into it. Instead, get the standard 2.1-oz. bar and slice it in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into 5 "nuggets". Set out 10 of those frozen fillo shells and pop a chocolate nugget into each one. Place them on a baking sheet, bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, and then let those babies cool. Now you've got yourself 10 itty-bitty Snickers pies! And they are INSANELY DELICIOUS. Chew two of 'em for less than 100 calories. We recommend whipping up a few batches of these treats for an upcoming New Year's bash. Trust us, they'll be gone long before midnight.

Snazzed-Up Snickers Pie A favorite of Weight Watchers everywhere! Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups fat-free vanilla frozen-yogurt, slightly softened 1 small box Jell-O Sugar-Free Fat-Free Chocolate Pudding mix (Instant) 1/4 cup reduced-fat chunky peanut butter 1 cup Cool Whip Free 3 oz. Grape Nuts 2 Tbsp. Hershey's Lite Chocolate Syrup Mix all ingredients together (except for the chocolate syrup), and pour into 8" dish. Drizzle with syrup and freeze. Serves 8. Each serving contains 158 calories, 3g of fat, 4g protein, 28g carbs, 1g fiber. (Only 3 measly points!)

They gave me a receipt but I asked for one from Melissa the receptionist and she put it in my white OCC folder.

Welcome Steve! I live in west Los Angeles, where the 405 meets the 10. I wanted to sugest taking Amtrak from Union Station to San Diego Sante Fe Depot round trip for your surgery. The ride is so nice and relaxing. With a AAA discount it only cost 27.00 ea. way per person. The OCC driver will pick you up and drop you off at the San Diego station and drive you all the way to the OCC/Hotel.

WW POINTS® Tracker entries Thursday, February 04, 2010 Morning 1 serving(s) Trader Joe's Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies 3 1 tall Beverages Brewed Coffee 0 2 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1.5 2 tsp sugar substitute 0.5 Subtotal 5 Midday 1 serving(s) Lean Cuisine Grilled Chicken and Penne Pasta 6 1 serving(s) Mishima Miso Soup Mix 1 Subtotal 7 Evening No entries for this meal time. Subtotal 0 Anytime No entries for this meal time. Subtotal 0 Food POINTS values total used 12 Food POINTS values remaining 11

I think there is a general misconception floating around this board and a lot of other places that the band can easily be deducted by anyone. Granted, maybe I was the only one who believed it (being that I never filed a schedule A in my life) but I want to dispell the misconception now in case someone else comes along who is just as naïve as I am. 7.5% of my adjusted gross income would be about $4,425. Our medical expenses for last year were approximately $7550 (including all band related ones) for me and my dependent. My understanding is that I would be able to deduct approximately $3,125 since this is the amount OVER 7.5%. But since the standard deduction for head of household with dependent is $8,350 I would have to come up with about $5,225 more in additional itemized expenditures (property, charity, vehicle registration fees) in order to take the itemized medical expenses. My situation may be specific to me but I do not think it is uncommon. I have several factors working against me here that do not allow me or people in similar circumstance to deduct the band: 1. I am head of household vrs. being single I am a single parent and the head of the house which make my standard deduction 8.3K vrs 5K if I did not have any dependents. 2. I do not own property and I rent Although I make a healthy living, I make what I make because I live in a major metropolitan area that pays better then average for what I do, however the down side is I cant afford to purchase property in my area based on my income. 3. Our family unit had very little out-of-pocket medical expenses last year All this being said, a single mother renting an apartment and working full time to support herself and her child cannot deduct being banded because she makes too much money but cant afford to buy property and was really healthy for 2009 otherwise. Things that make you go hmmmmm. What ever happened to deductions and tax incentives for the middle class?

Wow, I needed this. I never thought of fills from that angle before (sorry...blonde moment) and since I have had 7 restriction episodes so far I am vagily familiar with what you speak of and your right. If I do not ease into this I do not think I could handle only taking 3 bites of Indian food. I think I would actually start to cry. I have sat here and really thought about what you said and have decided that I am going to ask Dr. So to go easy on me come the next fill on 2/15. I think I will want that mental wiggle room as well. Thanks Angie for sharing...you the best! And btw, it sounds like you are in the sweet spot for here and now even if it is not "the" sweet spot.

Yayayayayay! Go Angie...Go Angie...go Angie! I remember when you wre saying you could almost taste the 230s Now here comes the 220s! Restriction must be great! Did you find your sweet spot? Is this fill the one?