MustangMama

Just got the call from the Surgeon's office...Insurance approved me. YAY!!! (Doing a ceremonial booty dance) Now... Just playing the waiting game with my GI doc so I can get my scope done and start my 2 week pre op diet. After wanting this surgery for 5 years...I am over the moon about getting my approval. It feels like I am on the verge of a renaissance ... and I can't wait!

I have a 2006 Legend Lime that we have customized and put a Turbocharger on. I drag race it and show it for fun. Its wonderful to meet another Mustang lover on here. I'm hoping the weight loss will help my quarter mile times...lol!

I liked a piece of ham wrapped around a bit of cream cheese. I had that a lot when I was on a low carb diet.

Best Wishes Thee-O!

Let me revise my original post. I won't be up front about telling anyone else... but if/when I am asked, I will be honest. If someone has a problem with me getting the LapBand they can go suck an egg. Life is too short for me to worry about what malicious thoughts someone else is having about me. Let's face it... most of the crap dished out is by people who are (1) Jealous, (2) Don't understand what its like to be heavy most of your life, or (3) just down right holier than thou. I just went through treatment h*ll to save my life and no one... I mean NO ONE, is gonna tell me how to live it.

I am not very far in my journey to Lap-Band, but I told my husband, mother, and 2 best friends. That is where it will stop for me. I know with my 4 closest confidants knowing, I will have someone to talk to and get support from when I need it. I certainly understand you wanting to keep this private.

Congrats!!! I knew it was gonna work out.

I say go for it and just be honest. Tell him you did not make this decision lightly, you have researched it for a long time and weighed the pros and cons and you know this is something you really want to do. Just lay it all out there. As for the dinner parties, you can still go you know- and this time you can wear a cute little cocktail dress! ...keep your chin up.

Hello everyone I found your forum researching the Lap-Band and although I have read quite a bit already, I feel I have much more to read before I ask any questions. So for now... I would just like to introduce myself, give you a little back round, and say I'm pleased to meet each of you and thrilled to find a place where I will have people who understand what I am facing as I go forward with Lap Band surgery. I'm a 38 year old wife and mother (to one 13 y/o daughter) who has been overweight my whole life and currently staring down the face of obesity. Last July, I found a painful lump in my breast and shortly there after was diagnosed with invasive Triple Negative Breast Cancer. After 3 surgeries I began a very aggressive chemo regimen then on to 35 rounds of radiation which I ended April 14th. During my chemo treatments, I discovered I also tested positive for cervical cancer (when it rains it pours) and scheduled the surgery to remove it in between chemotherapy. After 8 months of treatments and thanks to the graces of a merciful God... I can now say I am in remission and I am optimistic that remission will eventually turn into being fully cured. After facing cancer at the age of 37/38... I realized just what I had allowed my body to become and was determined to change it. I tried once before a few years ago to get the Lap Band surgery... but I found out the one Bariatric Dr. that my insurance covered (that was worth anything anyway) did not do the procedure. (He was only performing Vertical Banding at the time) I knew that if I was going to do something surgically... I did not want to do anything that would change my anatomy. So I shelved the idea. Recently I saw that he was in fact, now doing the Lap Band surgeries and scheduled an appt with my PCM for a referral which he gladly gave and that is where I am standing right now. I'm quite hopeful my surgery will be approved through my insurance. (Tricare) as I have met all the requirements they want in order to pay being 100 lbs overweight, having hypothyroidism, (recently diagnosed) fibromyalgia...not to mention my cancer history. Whatever lies ahead of me, I will face head on knowing whatever it is... is nothing compared to what I have already conquered. (Although, I'm actually looking forward to this! ) Right now I am just playing the waiting game and hoping this time... the second time will be the charm.

LOL!!! -you are not gonna believe this... my major is BioChemistry w/ a minor in Criminal Justice! My goal is to work in Forensics. I want to process evidence in a lab setting. I have another 2 years for my bachelors but along the way I'm working on a BioTech Certificate to get my foot in the door working in a lab. I'll have my certificate in 3 semesters... then I'll transfer in order to finish my degree. I had to sit out last fall and spring semesters due to my treatments and I am chomping at the bit to get back. We are leaving the May 20th for Destin and will be back on Memorial Day -the 30th. I can't wait! Thanks for the seminar advice! I'll be sure to take a notebook. I'm so excited. I want my surgery appt yesterday!

<br /><br /><br /> I do too! I got a call from my surgeon today. He wants me to go to one of his seminars before he sits down with me. They had one last night (just my luck) and I'll be missing the next one as I will be on a much deserved, much needed vacation. I'm hoping when I get back I'll be able to hop right into a seminar and within a couple of weeks I'll be on the table. I want time to get used to my new 'buddy' before classes started and I became swamped under a mountain of school work. This next semester is going to be a killer for me.

I didn't really ask my Dr's opinion on the matter. I went in for an appt. He asked me why I was there... I told him I wanted a referral to see a particular Dr. He asked me if I knew him, I said yes and his next words were... "Let me get the paper and fill it out right now." That was Tuesday afternoon and I just heard from the bariatric surgeon's office about an hour ago. I was real direct on the matter. The way I look at it, my Doctor works for me. If he wants to replace his wishes with my own... there is always another PCM out there. I am not one to live in the Dr's office. I always think whatever ailment I have "will go away" well... when you are diagnosed with something that won't "go away" and you face your mortality head on, you realize a lot of important things. The least of which is if your Dr is ignoring your wishes to further their own agenda its time to find a new Dr. We have all gained and lost our whole lives. When you are ready to take this step, you know it. I find it offensive when I hear people go to their doctors for help and are told to diet and exercise. Ummmmm.... like, I didn't already think of that!

Is there anyone out there who is a previous cancer patient that has gone through the process and been approved for the Lap Band? Specifically for Tricare but I'd love to hear about anyone's experience really. I'm 3 weeks out from ending 8 months of treatments including chemo and radiation and was just approved today to see my bariatric surgeon. I was wondering if there were going to be any unexpected issues that might spring up on me. ...I just HATE surprises! I have to attend a seminar before the initial consult and would like to have all my ducks in a row when I finally get to see the surgeon. Any advice/help would be greatly appreciated. Thank y'all!

OMGoodness Theresa, we certainly do seem to be kindred spirits! I must say, throughout my cancer journey I would never allow myself to feel sorry for myself. I always looked at it as part of God's plan for me, and knew that I was SO blessed that if I had to have cancer... that I had it now, while the advances in treatment had come so incredibly far. Chemo is not fun by any means but I know as bad as it was for me... it was so much better than it used to be. Thinking of how people used to suffer horribly through treatment always left me humbled and I knew I had no right to complain. I just lived in the moment and kept my eye on the prize. I'm hoping that strategy will be helpful as I move towards Lap Band surgery. I have dieted most of my adult life and started a new diet 2 weeks before I finished radiation treatments only to find I have gained 3 lbs a month later. Frustrated, I realized I don't have the time to try to make a diet alone work. My old standby (the Atkins Diet) was no longer an option as I must stay on a low fat diet to help prevent a cancer recurrence. And let's face it... as any cancer patient knows, I'd eat dirt 3 times a day to keep the cancer from coming back. lol! I think the Lap Band is going to be a God's send. I'm not looking for a miraculous weight loss. I'd be happy with a 50lb loss and keeping it off. I think that is do-able. Oh! and I am also a full time student. I had to withdraw last fall to enter treatment and will be returning in August... picking up where I left off. And my Mother's name is Theresa (spelled the same) ... how funny is that?