Alexandra

Hi Margaret, I've sent a direct message to the administrator of this site asking him to change your user name. I'm sorry I can't help, but I don't think moderators have such an ability. I'll keep working on it until we get it done for you, though. Welcome to the site, whoever you are! :confused:

Welcome, Maggie, and congratulations! Please visit often and feel free to ask whatever questions you can think of. We're so glad you found us! :confused:

Hey, Christine, CONGRATULATIONS from another Jersey girl! :confused: Can you say who your insurance carrier is? I am very interested in knowing who the band-friendly carriers are in NJ. I was denied by Aetna but finally won on external appeal. Did you have a hard time getting approved? And I'm so glad you found this site as well. I had the same frustrating experience trying to find a local support group. My surgeon's office doesn't even pretend to have one for bandsters. Thankfully they aren't pressuring me to go to their RNY one, because I just wouldn't attend. If you want to post in the Jersey section I promise I'll pop in. I am in touch with at least two other Jersey bandsters on a pretty regular basis, so that makes 4, right? We can have our own little Jersey conclave right here on LBT.

I'm so glad to hear your son is doing better! What an ordeal for such a little one. :confused: I'm another one who doesn't put much stock in the actual amounts going in and coming out of the band. That's unusual for me, actually, because if you ask my friends they'll tell you that I'm the one who always has to understand everything before I'm happy. But with this instrument I'm satisfied to leave it up to a quirk of nature. We're talking about tiny amounts of Fluid and as we all know the same 2 cc's can create very different amounts of restriction in two people or even the same person from day to day. I think a leak would make itself known pretty obviously via a complete and consistent loss of restriction. If it comes and goes there must be some fluid left. Anyway, I'm glad to hear you are worrying less about both your band and your boy! We never did get to do the photo album, because we did something even better. We finally joined the Y! I've been waiting until my younger daughter was old enough to cooperate (two kids with one being a total loose cannon is a little more than I can handle alone), and Sunday seemed to be the day. So we went over to this great Y near us and signed up the whole family. I'm really excited about it because I'll be able to exercise at my convenience plus have great times with the girls in the pool and gym. It's worth every penny!! :D

Hi there! I'm not Bob but I'm also in NJ, and what's more, I'm an insurance broker. I can give you the good news that Horizon BCBS is indeed a band-friendly carrier! You're very lucky. You will of course have to qualify as MO and your doctor will have to make the case that band sugery is medically necessary for you, but that's true with any carrier. I can't tell you if you'll qualify for sure, of course, but if you want me to guess I'd need more information. But you're in great shape with Horizon BCBS. Go for it! :confused:

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYYYY!!! That is the best possible news, I am so happy for you! So tomorrow is the big band day, huh? Please take care, take it easy, get some sleep, and most of all don't forget to come back and let us know how it went. Good luck, and CONGRATULATIONS!! :confused:

This winter weather is really getting to me!! We've had three snow days already this year during which I'm housebound with two little kids. This is a PRIME munchout circumstance. How do we entertain ourselves when we can't go out? There are only so many drawings to color, dolls to tear heads off of, and toy cars to trip over before someone has the bright idea to bake cupcakes (or brownies, or a cake, or something). By the time that's been suggested I'm ready for a margarita--but I don't drink so the baking commences. Suggestions, please, on indoor activities that don't involve eating? :confused:

Hi Billie, You can get a definitive answer to this question by calling your state insurance board--the rules may vary somewhat from state to state. But in general, insurance carriers must state all the reasons for a denial in the letter that is sent. Otherwise, they'd be able to string people along indefinitely denying things for one reason after another. Once you receive a denial for a procedure you should be able to address the points in that one letter and get a resolution. Good luck!!

Hi Bullitt, Just want to chime in here and say I was never told anything about gum, straws, or even carbonated soda. I did try a soda once but the sensation it caused was uncomfortable so I stopped. I do know some folks drink them without a problem, but they probably let the carbonation dissipate a little before drinking. I've chewed gum with no worries. As far as your insurance goes I'd suggest not worrying until you get to the point where your surgeon actually puts in the request for precertification. Go ahead and get the testing done and be sure you are diagnosed with morbid obesity as soon as possible. Then when you put in the request for surgery you'll find out what your carrier says. If it is denied for investigational reasons you will have a very strong case for appeal--the band was approved by the FDA in June of 2001. My carrier denied for the same reason and I won my appeal against them.

Hi Sultana, Usually the band is not filled at all at surgery. So the band that's in you now is empty and is not creating any restriction to speak of. What little restriction you have felt so far is probably a result of your stomach beling swollen after surgery. As your stomach heals the restriction fades. Now it's time to inflate the band a little to create restriction again. My experience with the new restriction was a lot like it was right after surgery, minus any pain. There is no "sick" involved, even when things get stuck. PBing is not at all like vomiting, though it can be painful if the stuck episode is prolonged. All that's needed to avoid this completely, though, is care. When I'm paying attention things NEVER get stuck. It's only when I'm eating too quickly and not chewing enough that anything ever gets stuck. You're right about not being able to lose weight if the band is not adjusted--some people can but obviously it's designed to be inflated and that's the way it's supposed to be used. I need more than a mental barrier to overeating, so I had my band adjusted and will be going for my second adjustment on February 19. Don't worry! :confused:

Oh, Vera, I hope your son gets better quickly!! It's so hard when the kids are sick; you just want to take it all away from them and you can't. :confused: Please let us know how he's doing when you get a chance. And I hope your sweet spot stays with you!

Hi Sara, This seems to be largely a matter of custom. The surgeons where I was banded do it as outpatient surgery, but probably most places do have patients stay overnight. Can you ask any other patients of your doctor's? Or maybe there's someone here or on another bandster group who was banded at the same hospital. Where are you having surgery?

Lulu, that is a BRILLIANT idea! I literally have a shopping bag of pictures from my husband's single days--full of people we don't know anymore and he hardly knew in the first place--that will make great collage material. Thanks for the great suggestion! We'll be trying that tomorrow. Yay!

Al, I don't know if this will set your mind at ease or not but surgery approvals are often done within 30 days of the surgery. In fact, in most cases the approval is only *good* for 30 days. So don't worry about the time frame. If everything is in order, the approval can come really quickly. Good luck!!

Oh, Anne, I'm sorry Cigna is so backward!! It's great that you have options and are taking the initiative. February 23rd is just around the corner. And the weather is great in San Diego at this time of year. :confused: Let the countdown begin!!

Congratulations! This is such an exciting time for you -- and February 9 will be here before you know it!! The best piece of advice I can give is to be KIND to yourself. I see so many people anxious because the healing is taking a little longer, or they aren't able to stick to a "diet" right out of the gate, or they've lost "only" 20 lbs in the first month. :confused: Immediately post-surgery and the six weeks following are about HEALING, not about losing weight or learning new ways to eat. You have to let yourself take all the time you need to get over the surgery and let your band heal in place. Follow your doctor's instructions and if anything hurts, stop doing it. It's only AFTER the six weeks are over that you should turn your attention to learning to eat solids with the band. It's very hard to remember that, so my advice to you is to write down that date somewhere and make a conscious effort to be extra-nice to yourself until then. After that you can count calories, measure portions, and worry about exercise to your heart's content.

Oh, sassaay, what a blow! This will be hard to do, I know, but don't lose heart. If your carrier approved the surgery it's entirely likely that there's just some little piece of red tape that needs to be untied between the hospital and the carrier before you can proceed. You won't have to "appeal" because you haven't been denied. This is just a tiny bump in the road. PLEASE come back and let us know what happened. If there's no good news please see if you can get the specifics on the situation--I'm an insurance broker and might be able to help untangle some of that tape, or at least explain it to you. My fingers are crossed!! Try and have a good weekend, in spite of the situation. :confused:

Kelly, there are definitely times that I have a lot of trouble with meat. I get my Protein mostly through very thinly sliced deli meat at lunchtime, and sometimes for Breakfast. By dinner I'm usually able to eat something more solid, but sauce helps a lot. Buy good-quality meats at the deli counter and ask them to slice them really thin for you. Roll them up with cheese for extra yumminess. I'll bet you'll find that's a lot easier to get down than grilled chicken (which I haven't been able to eat for months now).

Wow, Mary, that is terrific news! So now you're comfortable and not gaining! And you're only 5 lbs from your goal? Wow!! Congratulations on getting through a nerve-wracking time. You're great inspiration! :confused:

Vera, if I were you I'd spring for the fluoro if for no other reason than to see what's going on. I don't believe they need to inject anything into your band to see it with the fluoroscope. If I recall correctly, at my fill the needle only went in after the doctor had spied everything on the screen and saw that everything was in place. If the kinked-tube idea turns out to be the right one, your doctor should be able to tell that without injecting anything additional. And if not, you'll be well on your way to finding out if there's a leak. Now the question is, what if there is a kink or a leak? Both of these things may require minor surgery to repair. Are you prepared for that? If there's a kink perhaps you could do nothing and be fine, but you'd know what you're up against in the future if you ever lose restriction again. I say, knowledge is power. Let the doctor see what he sees and take it from there. Good luck and keep us posted!!

Hey Kellygirl, As I know you know, there are MANY factors that influence each person's weight loss. At 235 there is NO WAY you should expect to lost 80 lbs in 5 months. You were a relative lightweight when you started and there's no question people with less to lose lose less quickly than those with more to lose. (Of course those with more to lose, like me, might also lose less quickly. :confused: )

Glad to hear my soup idea didn't turn any tummies! :confused: I have to wait at least an hour after waking up, because I take a medication that requires it. But after serving the kids their breakfast my tummy is usually starting to rumble. I could easily wait until I get to work to eat, but I don't know how a morning soup would go over with my colleagues. I've tried cottage cheese, but surprisingly, it (like scrambled eggs) doesn't go down easily at all. And yogurt has the same problem as Protein drinks--too sweet. Tomorrow I think I'll try soup before leaving the house and see how long that lasts. lunch is at noon at my office, and I can barely make it until then if I've had only a small breakfast. Thanks!

Ok, so I’m on a plateau. I’ve been at this weight since just after Thanksgiving, give or take a couple of pounds of holiday indulging. Of course, I have to remember that just because the scale doesn’t show a gain is no reason to indulge in sweets :rolleyes. Now it’s almost February and I should be ready to get going again. But I need to get jolted out of the complacent place I’m in. And the cold weather here does not help at all! It’s very hard to drink enough Water because I rarely get thirsty. And my husband and kids keep baking for fun, and of course I have to taste their creations. But these are just rationalizations for my lack of focus. It’s not that I’m mad at myself or disappointed with the band—just the opposite. I’m too comfortable and wondering when my motivation will return. So far I’ve dropped three clothing sizes and people really do notice a difference, but I can’t really say I feel a whole lot different than I used to. So I don’t have any huge burst of energy to point to, or any big change in my self-esteem. So now I understand how it’s possible for people to lose 30 lbs. and then stop. It would be really easy to do that! And it WOULDN’T be the band’s fault. I’ve learned from experience that putting thoughts like this out there help me deal with them. So that’s why this is here. I’m going to get weighed today and possibly make a fill appointment for next month. Maybe by next month I’ll really be ready to get back on the ball. Thanks for reading.

Thanks for your thoughts, Donali. There is some truth in there, I'm sure of it. I'm not like so many people who remember being slim and want to recapture it. At my current size I'm only two sizes larger (and 50 lbs heavier) than my smallest adult size ever, which I maintained for about three weeks back in 1990. Outside of that brief interlude as long as I can remember I've been at LEAST a 22-24, which is right where I am now. So I think subconsciously I feel like I've met a goal, and circumstances are conspiring to make it easy to stay here. When this weather breaks I know I'll feel a lift in my spirits accompanied by a surge of energy. For now I'm really enjoying my size 2X sweaters and stealing my husband's long-sleeve t-shirts to wear under my fleece.

Wow, Jennye, congratulations! It's wonderful when we surprise our own doctors!! :confused: