Petunia_5

I am considering Lap Band surgery. I live in NYC and wanted to know if anyone has advice on the surgeons in NYC? I am hoping my insurance will cover it. If not I am considering the self pay option. Does anyone have advice about either option?

Does anyone find that they sweat more post op? I have always been a sweater, growing up in Florida it was not unusual to me. I live in NYC now and I can't even walk down 1 avenue, about 2-3 blocks, without breaking a sweat. I was not this bad pre surgery. I get sweaty washing dishes and I get sweaty coming out of the shower!! Mind you I have a window ac keeping my apt about 73-75 degrees, but still!!!

Aug 8th, I cleaned my house today and was drenched. You would have thought I ran a 5k

Thanks for the info, I don't have a BP problem, I wish that was the case! (BP meds)

I was banded 8/8/11 and since the surgery burp pretty much after every meal and sometimes drink any substantial amount. Is it a sign of over eating? I have yet to have a feeling of "stuck" nor have I needed to throw up after any meal. I know my post op nurse told me to expect some gas post op as they put air into your system, but this is crazy!!

I had a rough start post op-day 4. I woke up from surgery in EXTREME pain! Much worse than I expected. I didn't eat anything that day. Day two I had a little food to take my pain medicine and pretty much slept the day away. I woke up later in the evening to extreme shoulder pain and my left arm swelling like I weighed 100lbs more than I do. I decided to hold off on going to the ER until I spoke with my surgeon's office the next day. Wednesday I woke up to the swelling in my arm having gone down, spoke with my surgeon's office and with their advice made an appointment with my internist. Within the hour that I had made the appointment, around lunch time, my arm swelled right back up. I also noticed that my right eye lid was swollen. So I stopped the pain meds and took myself to the ER. After sitting for 4 hours in the ER waiting room of the hospital I work at!!! My mom said something to the triage nurse and I was given a stretcher in the ER. Long story short, 8 hours later, the Ultrasound was negative for a blood clot. I was told I had Phlebitis in my veins-a reaction to the IV from surgery. I was able to take some pain medicine finally as the Attending felt the swollen eye lid and the swollen arm were not related and not an allergic reaction. Day 4 I moved more and had more of an appetite. But I was HUNGRY come day 5! My energy level was pretty low the first week, but today, day 9, I was able to walk 6 miles! My surgeon's office put me out of work for a whole month but I will be remeeding that after 3 weeks! It's been a nice much needed vacation and recovery time. I work 1.5 job's and 3 days a week I am working from 7am-Midnight! Now if I can only get off this night owl schedule I will be good!

My program seems to be more radical than the rest, as I was told to start chewable immediately after surgery. They come in adult vitamins, I just chew chew chew chew chew until its mushy! I am also on mushy foods starting day 4 of post op until the 4th week. Now what I don't get is my Dietician wants me to chew mushy food 25 times! how is that possible!! Anyways, I am sure your MD will be ok with you taking a chewable vitamin.

It took me about 4-5 days before I felt better as well. I was not expecting as much pain as I was in so I was disappointed. Luckily my mom is more stubborn than me and came up for the surgery! I thought I would be running around 2 days after the surgery! It get's better. Everyday I wake up I feel better than the last. I walked 6 miles today! I could barely walk a half mile 6 days after my surgery! Just stay hydrated and chew those vitamins daily!!

I'm Alexis! Age: 28 Banded 8/8/11 Pre Op Weight: 323 Day of Surgery: 316 Size 22 unwillingly > I weigh myself daily but I will wait for my first post op appointment for the official weight! Single and loving it! and no babies!!!!

Sounds like you need some tough love in your life...I have not been banded yet, I am in the process for getting approval so you can write what I have to say off as I just don't know but here goes... No matter what the tool you use to loose weight, you have to follow the regimen. You had a serious surgery, that required anesthesia, people don't always wake up from anesthesia!!!! So you risked your life and had a lap band placed to HELP you loose weight. The band is not going to do the work for you. Now several years later you are still struggling with the weight you want to loose. You need to take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself you DESERVE to be happy, to feel happy, to be healthy, to feel healthy and to succeed. Take a walk and talk to yourself (in your head so folks don't think you need help) and really ask yourself what it is that you are trying to suppress with food. Clearly you have emotional issues that you refuse to face and instead choose to eat your feelings. We all do sister, you are not alone in this battle. Face the problems of your past and then let them go. THere is no sense in carrying around all this extra baggage. Stop saying "why me" and making excuses for the last two years. Take control of your life, use the tools you have been given to become successful. What is it that you want to do once your at your goal weight? How do you think you will feel once your at your goal weight? Have you thought about what is going to to happen once your at your goal weight? Life is a journey, reaching a goal weight doesn't mean life is over or that you can finally start living your life. It means you have achieved a goal and now you can set another one. I get it just as much as the rest of the people on this board get it, loosing weight is hard. If it were easy we wouldn't be here on this forum! Put your big girl panties on and move forward. Live the life you want to live TODAY. Wether you are 500 pounds or 150 lbs you can choose to feel good about yourself.

I'm meeting him Tuesday for the first time, ill keep you posted! Good luck with everything

Hi All I am seriously considering lap band surgery. I have struggled with weight 20 of my 28 years on this earth. I am scheduled for my first appointment in 2 weeks. I am a little nervous that my insurance won't cover it as my BMI is right at 40.6 and I don't have any current health issues. I am considering self pay if they don't cover it. Does anyone have advice on the self pay route? I live in new york city and would appreciate any feed back on the surgeons here in the city. Take Care Petunia!

I logged in and tried to search for my policy but I am not having any luck. I put a question into them, so I should have an answer come tomorrow. Thank you for the advice

How funny! Good luck with your surgery and keep me posted on your progress!

I have BCBS Empire, they stated they would cover it in my first attempt to look into this surgery but at the time I was still too "light" to meet the required BMI.. In this case my height works against me! How much does the cost of the surgery run in Texas?

Thank you for the advice!

Hi there! I live in NYC and I am considering the surgery. I have an appointment in 2 weeks with the surgeons at Cornell. Where are you having the surgery at?