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Help Not Able to Afford Fills

claravonder
on 6/29/10 7:25 am - Rockvale, TN
Hello, My surgery will be 2 years old in January 2011. I have lost about 60lbs. I have been there for 5 to 6 months. I had a fill about 2 months ago. I was tight then after about 1 1/2 month I no longer feel tight unless I eat certain food. My problem is that I'm not working and cannot afford to pay for the fills. I have been looking but have not found any work. My insurance pays for some but not all of it therefore I have not been to the doctor since I had my fill. My husband and I already have bills to pay without adding more to the list. I do not want to gain the weight back that I have lost. I'm really depressed about this. Sometimes I wish that I would have had the gastric bypass. I know a person that had it done in Sept. 2009 and have lost 140lbs. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!
Tom C.
on 6/30/10 12:42 am - Mount Arlington, NJ

Have you sat down and spoken to your Doctor about this? While it would be foolish for you to think they would do it for free, MAYBE they could do it at a reduced rate - and make arrangements that you can pay it off over time.

Another thing, remember stalls are natural part of weight loss. A little tough love – are you following ALL THE RULES? If you’re not, that could be the issue. If you are, then don’t worry.

It seems the body “catches on" to what we have been doing, and holds onto everything. After a while, the lost restarts and things go well.

However, stalls can also because by eating (a) too much (b) not enough. I know it sounds a little contradictory, and I will try to explain.

 

Too much: While we need to make sure we hit our protein requirements (60-80 grams, or whatever your Doctor told you), we need to make sure the carbs, calories, etc are “acceptable". Remember, you don’t want to make your 80 grams of protein by eating 4 gallons of ice cream or a starchy carb.

 

Not enough: Again, make sure you are meeting your daily protein requirements. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO WEIGHT LOSS. The body is a marvelous machine, and it will protect itself. If one doesn’t eat enough, the body’s metabolism will slow down - in order to keep itself functioning. If a person intake is less then what it expels, the body will start to “store" food.

 

Be proud of those pounds you lost!!! This is a major accomplishment!! How many times were you NOT able to lose that amount of weight???? Or when you did, you gained it back?? If you lost weight, and haven’t gained it back, then aren’t you really winning?!?!?

  

Remember, this isn’t a race. “Slow and steady wins the race".  We are a generation of instantaneous results, however remember we didn’t put all the weight on at once, it took years. So don’t you think losing it would take just as long? This isn't one of those miracle instantaneous weight loss programs. We all know types of programs always fail. This is a way of life

 

Nowhere does any of the literate state you will lose x amount of weight in x days. Think LONG TERM. If it takes you 2 – 3 -5 years to lose all the weight, WHO CARES!!! How long did it take you to put all those pounds on? Try to remind yourself that even if I lost only 1 pound per week, in year’s time I’d be 52 pounds lighter. Many doctors believe the slower you lose weight, the better chance you have of keeping it off. 

 

Many folks are hung up on the number. It’s not the number of pounds that someone loses in a specified period of time that is important. It’s how you feel. Don’t forget, if you are toning up muscle – your weight loss may seem to have slowed (or stopped), when in fact you are replacing fat with muscle. Muscle is heavier then fat. Someone weighting 200 pounds with a body fat percentage of 25 is carrying around 50 pounds of extra fat. That same person weighting 200 pounds with 10 percent body fat would be carrying 20 pounds of fat. So it’s not the number that is important.

 

The amount of weight lost is affected by many factors. Everyone loses weight at different rates. It has to do with age, gender, one’s weight, exercise, etc.. A 10 pound lost to one person could be as affected as a 40 pound lost to another. Think of it this way: If a 400-pound person loses 40 pounds; a 300-pound person loses 30 pounds, a 200-pound person loses 20 pounds, and a 100-pound person loses 10 pounds – the 400-pound person didn’t necessarily lose more weight than the others. All three lost 10% of their body weight. 

 

I know a lot of folks who have had either the band or bypass, and have been very successful. I also know a lot of folks who had the band or bypass and lost nothing or have gained all the weight back. What I am trying to point out is ONE OPERATION isn’t a GUARANTEE!!

 

Good luck, and know we’re here for you !!



Good Luck on your Journey !!

Tom

“Nothing I will ever eat will give me the feeling I get as when I lose weight”  The views expressed are based on my own experiences - and should NOT BE FOLLOWED IN LIEU OF DOCTOR’S ADVICE/INSTRUCTIONS. Only your Doctor knows your condition, and make sure you talk to them before making any changes to your diet
NaughtyZute
on 7/6/10 6:58 pm - Climax, MI
I was in EXACTLY the same boat, except I had no insurance.  I gained about 30 lbs of the 50 I'd lost over the winter and hadn't had a fill in 14 months.  Finally, I'd had enough and made an appointment.  My doctor asked if the fills were a hardship for me without insurance and having been unemployed for a year.  I, of course, told him that it was and he helped me.  He put 2 cc's in and I have really good restriction fo the first time ever.  When my band is right and I'm eating the right stuff -- when my band is right that's what I "want" to eat then I'm losing.  I was thinking I should have had the bypass too, but now that my band is working, I'm happy with my deicision again.  I can feel the weight coming off and I have to think about eating and chewing and radically reducing my portion sizes.  I get very annoyed with people that want to lecture on eating right.  If I could freaking diet on my own and stick to eating healthy without the band -- then duh, I never would have needed the surgery.  It's not like I haven't spent the best part of my life since the age of 10 dieting!  So my advise to you is talk to your doctor, have a bake sale, do whatever you need to do to get your band working again. 



If you don't like your life, change the way you're living
  

claravonder
on 7/19/10 7:21 am - Rockvale, TN
Thank you very much for your reply to my problem. I have finally got enough courage to contact the doctor that did my surgery for a visit. I will go on Thursday 7/22. I really feel bad about having gained some of the weight back. I will not get on my scales because I do not want to know how much I have gained. I really want to get back in the groove and lose the weight. I'm so depressed about the whole thing. How have you been since your adjustment? I hope I can keep in touch with you from time to time. I could use your encouragement. I have not been able to attend any support group meetings because my husband and I are down to one car. He is taking off from work to take me to my appoitment. Hope to hear from you soon.
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