Okay, I am at 2 weeks now and I feel pretty well. I have been walking 2 miles per day, and that is going really well. I am going to have to figure out how to walk when I go back to work.:mad2:

I have been having a difficult time complying with the liquids only. I really need to get back on track. I have not been too bad, I have been eating mashed potatoes once per day. Even though I have not been perfect, I have lost another 5 pounds! So I was 275 on 10/14 and now I am 252! Wooo Hoo! That is a total of 23 pounds!

I relly wish it were more, but oh well, I will take it. That is all for now, gotta go!

Do you live in Wisconsin and have Badger Care Plus HMO (standard plan) through United Health Care? If so, what steps did they require you follow before getting lapband approval?

I live in GA and I have BCBS PPO. I had to have a psych, pulmonary and Primary Care Provider approval, I also had to see a dietician. Also, I had to have a BMI of 40 or above or a BMI of 35 or above with a comorbid condition, such as hypertension or diabetes.

You can call your ins. company and they will send you information on what you need to qualify.

Hi, Bimbabe.

I live in Tennessee and I, too, BELIEVE IN GOD! I am an RN and as such, you'd think I would not be so apprehensive about surgery...but I think a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I am 52 years old, and when I went to the surgeon, I weighed 341 lbs (YIKES!). I am scheduled for gastric sleeve surgery 1/5/09, and have to loose 35 lbs before surgery. The good news is that in 3 weeks, I have already lost 21 lbs. The bad news, my insurance which is also BCBS will not pay for the procedure, so it is out of pocket. Fortunately, my mother (God bless her) is paying for half, so that helps.

Anyway....congratulations on getting through your surgery. Are there any tips you can give me? I am scheduled for my psych, nutrition, and exercise physiology appts next week. I am very nervous about this surgery most because I am paying for this and if I have any complications, my BCBS will not cover that either because it would be related to "weight loss surgery". But, I also have faith that he Lord will get me through this without complications. My obesity related co-morbidities are severe osteoarthritis in both knees and hypertension. Praise the Lord I'm not diabetic!

Any hints or encouragement you can give me will be most appreciated!

God bless,

Violet

Hello

I am hoping to have some people contact me that have had the gastric sleeve surgery, I live in Sydney Australia and am considering having the surgery but it seems lapband is the preferred option by most surgeons. I believe the 'sleeve' would be more suitable to me. I would love to have some positive feedback telling me your weight loss since surgery and perhaps what costs were involved in the surgery?