Alexandra

CONGRATULATIONS, WHEETSIN!!! Oh, wow, are you in for a treat. :drool: I am so, so happy for you and your DH. :sneaky: I remember at my first prenatal visit having the same feeling you did about the doctor's casual attitude to all my questions! It's hard to remember that for them, this is the oldest of old-hat business. As a first-time mommy every single thing is brand new and there aren't enough answers in the world to make it all seem easy and worry-free. One thing I can tell you that helped me IMMENSELY was to hire a doula. Tell me if you want to know more. Oooh, I'm so excited for you, Wheet! (And maybe a wee bit jealous.) Congratulations!! :biggrin2::biggrin2::biggrin2::biggrin2:

At some point you will need to have a complete physical exam, so you will need a new PCP if the one you had has left. Whether you need a referral or not is a function of the kind of insurance plan you have, but just about ALL insurance plans will require a letter of recommendation for surgery from a primary care doctor in addition to your surgeon. If your insurance plan doesn't require you to get referrals to see specialists, then you can start with the seminar at your selected surgeon's office. But fair warning: Your surgeon will VERY LIKELY want the results of a complete physical, as well as the evidence your insurance company needs of your history of obesity. So it's a great idea to find a PCP you like, schedule a physical now, and go in prepared to be brutally honest with him/her about how much your excess weight is negatively impacting your life, how long you have been struggling with it, all the things you have tried over the years to lose weight, and how you are absolutely at the end of your rope. The idea is to get this doctor to support you in your search for bariatric surgery, and it's even better if the initial recommendation for this treatment comes from the PCP. Even if your own doctor has left, if the office is still there your records very likely are too. Those will be necessary to prove your medical history, so get copies of them as soon as you can. Good luck!!

Hi Sphynx, As surgeries go, lap-band placement is pretty minor. But it's probably not considered "minor surgery" in the medical sense because it involves general anaesthesia (which is where most of the risk lies) and internal organs. It is, however, often done as an outpatient procedure with no need for an overnight stay. I've had three band-related surgeries, and none were difficult at all. For me personally the hardest part was recovering from anaesthesia, which took a couple of days to work itself out through my system. You ask if "anyone has ever died or had a blood clot or bad reaction or major infection from this surgery" and the answer to that is yes, of course. People have died from infections and complications related to having their tonsils removed! Surgery is surgery and there are risks. But the overall risk of complications with surgery is quite small, and with this kind of surgery it's VERY small. Your doctor's skill and experience is the best predictor of your chances of having a surgical complication, so choose one you have maximum confidence in. Your fears seem related more to surgery in general than to lap-band surgery specifically, and your doctor is the best person to discuss those with. Surgery is a scary thing, absolutely, but it may help you to consider all the people you know and all the people here who come through these types of procedures every day without issue.

Kendra, my thoughts are with you and your family. What a difficult thing you're going through. :tea: That is wonderful news about the breast masses. I have an image of cowboy boots with very sharp spurs in my head, and will keep it uppermost in my mind as you go forward with treatment. We are ALL pulling for you!!

I'm another non-cooker. Deli meat or leftovers (thank you DH!!) are my mainstays, with protein bars for breakfast and canned chili frequently for lunch or dinner. It's important to read labels carefully when buying prepared foods, but if you have a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods near you there will be a much better selection of wholesome, healthy, well-labeled ready-to-eat varieties.

Pix, you are not alone in valuing the moderated weight loss offered by the band. This is one of the primary reasons I chose the band over bypass, though I was a good candidate for either. Back in 1990 I lost 75 lbs in three months on Optifast, and it was really a very disturbing experience. I hated not recognizing myself in the mirror, and particularly hated everyone oohing and aahing over me like I had been some sort of creature they couldn't bear to look at and only now was I worthy of their notice. Nuh uh, no thanks. 70 lbs in a YEAR is much more my speed.

Horizon BCBS of NJ has an excellent approach to banding, so as far as the carrier is concerned you should be OK. The question to answer is whether your company has a custom contract (most large companies do, where they can choose various options about what not to cover--bariatric treatment is often excluded) or if it's one of Horizon's standard plans. If the latter, I can tell you that Horizon does cover banding for qualified patients.

Oh wow, what a nightmare! I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Can they give you anything for the pain? If it's gas-related only time will heal it, but in the meantime you shouldn't have to suffer. Good luck, and heal fast!!

Getting used to being banded takes time. There are all sorts of odd feelings and sensations that we have never had before, and it takes us all varying amounts of time to learn what the new normal is for each one of us. So it's really important to take it EASY and learn what the new normal is, for you. And then, once you know that, you will know when something is NOT normal. Andie, you say that sometimes when you eat your stomach feels achy. Might that be the band telling you it's time to stop? That would be the band working exactly as it should, and not an indicator that there's anything wrong. Bottom line, learn your body's new signals and pay attention to them. I know that might sound simplistic but it's really the truth. We are all wired differently, have different stop signals and problem foods; the only thing we share is a band that tells us when to stop. Pay attention, and when something feels wrong call your doctor.

Hi Kat, Loose skin is a function of many things, such as speed of weight loss, age, elasticity, but it's mostly a function of genetics. There is nothing you can do to improve or change the amount of loose skin you have; time will take care of skin returning to whatever level it's going to return to. Working out and otherwise taking good care of yourself during the whole process can improve the *appearance* of your skin, but there's no cream that will do anything about the way your skin fits on your body.

This is something you should talk over with your doctor. Would you get the exact same band? Or would there be some difference that might make your experience with a new one less complicated? I DID band twice, and am very happily living with my second band. It's a very different model than the one I had the first time, and so far all has been wonderful. (Though I'm not losing weight, I know this is not the band's fault.) To me this is all a journey; being banded once was never going to fix my obesity problem forever. There's way too many other variables at play. All I know is that I have NO chance at managing my obesity without a little silicone friend.

Not EVERYONE has this sort of complication, absolutely not. Everyone posting in this section likely has had some sort of complication, or they wouldn't be posting here. To my mind, even the worst complications with banding aren't as bad as what could go wrong with more invasive WLS procedures. I've had three surgeries now related to my band (initial, removal, replacement) but each one was outpatient, minor, and pretty easy. I was back at work in every case within three days. Is it worth it? That depends on how much being morbidly obese impacts one's life. For me, being banded has made an enormous difference and even with all the "complications" it's been very much worth it.

Itchiness, I was always told, is an indicator of healing. Are your incisions healing well and are just itchy? Maybe you're just sensitive to that phenomenon. Have you ever noticed it before? If it doesn't pass soon you might mention it to your doctor, but it's probably just healing itches. Good luck!!

Ses, the kind of problem you're having doesn't call for a tightening but it may very well call for an adjustment. You should call your doctor and BE HONEST about the issues. Your doctor can't help you if you're not completely up front with him or her. You may find that you LOSE weight if you band is made a bit looser. You'll be able to take in more Protein and a bit more roughage (veggies and fruits), and your body will be in better balance. It is never a good idea to 'struggle it out' with a too-tight band or an irritated esophagus, because these situations are unlikely to resolve on their own. Please call your doctor and don't be afraid of an unfill. It can really help and you'll be happier and healthier. Good luck!!

Rainer, I used to do exactly the same thing!! I'd be sitting at my desk, absentmindedly drumming a beat along my collarbones. You are not alone!

David, I'm glad you're feeling better. But please listen to your body: It's a bit too early for even the soupiest mashed potatoes! I'm sure your doctor has given you post-op eating instructions, and equally sure those instructions are to stick strictly to liquids for at least the first week. You've been banded less than three days? GIVE IT TIME! You need to heal up, and pain is your body's way of telling you to leave it be. Really, even if you're hungry don't jump the gun on thick liquids or mushy foods. You need to give yourself time to heal. It sounds like you had a really significant surgery--much more involved than the typical lap-band placement, and it's going to take even longer to heal. So take it EASY!!

How about it? Would y'all be interested in getting together for an LBT-fest? This would be a formal thing, organized by the management of LBT with events and sponsors. There'd be features designed to educate pre-ops and support post-ops as well (perhaps mostly the latter). If the idea gets off the ground, we'll be asking for suggestions on content, but the very first question is...WHERE? Please vote below for your preferred destination or region. If you like, add your suggestion in a post below. Thanks!!

What a scary thing! It is a potential complication of any abdominal surgery, but no one can ever prepare for it to happen to them. Best wishes to your husband for a complete and total recovery--we're pulling for him!!

I agree with everyone who says it's cyclic and natural and there's nothing that can be done about it. I lost a lot more hair each time I had a baby. My doctor said at the time (and it turned out to be true) that by the time we've lost enough for it to be noticeable, it's already turning around. I know it doesn't seem that way, but it's true.

Good luck, Jen! I'd love to hear what Aetna does with your repair/replacement. I hope you have a quick and successful resolution.

My slipped band was diagnosed in April 2007 after 3+ years of banding. I had the reflux, nighttime aspiration, etc., and while those symptoms would resolve with an unfill I couldn't tolerate even the tiniest fill no matter how much time had gone by. I had several barium swallow tests (since my docs do fills that way) and they kept saying the band was in good position. I even had an endoscopy at one point, during which esophagitis was diagnosed, but the band was supposedly fine. But clearly something was wrong. Ultimately a slip was diagnosed and my band was removed. (BTW, I had the 4cc version, and now I think it was too small from the start.) Insurance carriers handle this situation differently--there are no norms. In my case I had lost so much weight that my BMI was now about 30, so my carrier would not cover a new band. I simply didn't qualify. They paid for the removal and probably would have covered a repair/reposition, but not a replacement. But not all carriers take that approach, so I switched to a different carrier that would treat my band as an ongoing treatment for a chronic medical condition, and they paid for a new one. Now I have the AP-L band, implanted last August. Obviously not everyone can manipulate their insurance coverage the way I have been able to, so it's really important that we understand our own policies and the laws where we live. It's entirely possible that your state has laws that will require maintenance of ongoing treatment, regardless of whether the treatment was covered in the first place. Check it out with your state's department of insurance, and DON'T take what your carrier says as the final word.

Anita, I'm glad things have settled down and that you're on the way to healing. You said your erosion was without symptoms, but you had months of SOME kind of symptom, right? Before your unfill if the band was too tight (causing reflux and requiring all the testing) the band was putting too much pressure on your stomach this whole time, I'd think. So it wasn't really without symptoms at all. Before my slip was diagnosed and I had months of recurring issues, I was really expecting to be told the same thing. But my band had not eroded, the stomach was in fine shape and a new band was able to be placed. So these symptoms are not necessarily an indicator of erosion. But I'm thinking that symptoms like that are an indicator of SOMETHING, and medical attention must be paid. Good luck with everything!

Redstar, it's one thing to be an advocate but something else entirely to stoop to name-calling. Please be advised that such tactics are unacceptable on LBT. Thanks!

Band removal is just as big a decision as having it put in, and the same medical and insurance questions apply. Is removal medically necessary? If so, and if the risks of surgery are less than the benefits of having the procedure, it shouldn't be difficult to reach that decision. And your doctor will likely agree.

I can't get into discussions about spousal gift-giving because it always sounds like I'm gloating. (My husband gets it, and always seems to hit the mark. I am a total lame-o in response.) But HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WHEETSIN!!!!! Love ya!