MelindaH

Hi, my name is Melinda and I live in Eugene, OR. I am 54 and would be delighted to be your cyber buddy. Hopefully my surgery will be in October also. I have struggled with my weight for the last twenty years and now have developed the usual co-morbidities; sleep apnea, HTN well controlled though, arthritis--already have had both knees replaced, prediabetic and have degenerative disc disease in my lower spine There is strong obesity on my mother's side--she struggled all of her life with her weight. I have a cousin who had a bypass four years ago and has done very well, Her sister weighs probably close to 350-400 and is slowly losing her life and her mobility. My cousin who had the bypass is an RN and she suggested that I consider the band several years ago. I began to research it seriously this year but did not attend a seminar until the end of April. I met with the surgeon on May 26th and started my dietary consultations in late June. I have to have three months but will go more if needed. The surgeon has had the surgery and has lost around 70 pounds over two years. I have also been attending the clinic's support group and have been following this website for about six weeks now. I feel so much better following the high Protein and ldow carb diet that they suggested that I follow. I still need to lose ten pounds before surgery. I am weak on exercise but am seriously trying to improve and have. I go to the gym at least twice a week but need to make it four to five. They offer Water aerobics and I am going to attempt that.. I just started on the treadmill but have been riding a stationary bike for several years now. I like to walk when the weather allows and have purchased a raincoat for this next rainy season. I was on prednisone for too many years and thus the weight gain. But I have to take ownership and admit that I eat for comfort and out of boredom.. If I had known what I know now, I would have starved myself while on prednisone. It makes me so ravenous. I probably would have said to my rheumatologist maybe I have been on it too long. They finally discontinued it in 2008 after I had a psychotic reaction. Since then I have been in a world of hurt and I can't take anti inflammatory drugs anymore after I developed ulcers. They have since healed. I am just not able to lose weight anymore. I have done WW every year since 2008 but without much success. I would love to be of support to you. I hope I haven't made this too long. Please write back when you can. All the best to you, Melinda Hohenberger Email me at mhohenberger@gmail.com Thanks

It depends on insurance requirements, medical consult requirements and also the surgeon's schedule. I started in late May and have to have three nutrition and diet counseling classes. You will have to meet with a psychologist. There could be other specialists that the doctor wants you to see before surgery. If you are starting on the 19th, personally, I would not expect to have surgery before mid October. I am hoping for October myself. I need to get it done this year as I have met the out of pocket maximum for the year. Lots of good luck to you. Welcome to the forum. It has helped me immensely. Melinda

Hi, I have BCBS Fed and the co-ordinator at my surgeon's office says that they are very prompt--certainly within one week if everything is in order. All the best to you, Melinda

Hi, I have not had the surgery yet so I do not know what to tell you regarding the fill except that talking to your surgeon is probably your best bet. I am glad to see someone else who struggles at 4pm. I guess I am going to go ahead and make dinner and eat early whether or not my husband is home. But I get ravenous and I am concerned about the three meal a day rule. I drink a lot of water and am trying to learn to sip. Also am wondering if taking a walk would help. Congratulations on your weight loss! Melinda

Great news! All the best to you in your surgery as as your enter your journey to healthy eating. Keep us posted, Melinda

hi, hon, thank you for your post and welcome to our little group! By all means, if your dad is asking you to consider bariatric surgery, I would at least go to an informational seminar at a center of excellence. I do not know where you are in Texas but for sure they are in the major cities. If you have the financial means or insurance to cover it, I would seriously consider it. Nip it in the bud while you are young. Don't wait till you are my age (54) and have developed several co-morbities. All the best to you. Feel free to join us often. I really like this website. Melinda

Hi,My name is Melinda. I am 54, and hoping for lap band surgery in October. I am trying to jump through the last medical requirement and fulffill the insurance nutritional requirement (3 month counseling and supervision). I am looking for support and new friends. In return, I hope to give support and friendship. I have been lurking on this group, lol. You all sound like a great group of ladies. I live in Eugene, OR, have been married for 26 years and we are the parents of a 24 year old daughter and 21 year old son. Both are trying to find themselves, lol. Let me know. You can email me at mhohenberger@gmail.com. I am also on facebook as Melinda Hohenberger. Thanks for your consideration. Melinda

Welcome to our forum and congratulations on your surgery. Very brave of you to do this while he is deployed. All the best to you and hope that you are surviving the heat ok. Stay hydrated! We look forward to progress updates. The next time you talk to your husband, tell him thank you for his service to our nation and for his personal sacrifice. It is deeply appreciated! Take good care, Melinda

I would grab my medical records and run to the nearest center of excellence I could find. I am really impressed with the care I have received and I am only in the pre-op stage. The surgeon is on top of my care even though I probably won't see him again until my pre-op visit. The staff is the best. I cannot tolerate your current doctor's attitude. To tell a nurse at the hospital that you are not coming back over on a surgery patient is completely out of line. I hope that nurse wrote him up, not lol Lot's of good luck hon. Get out of that office. It will only get worse. Keep us posted. Melinda

Hi, welcome to the forum. I can't answer your question but I would encourage you to go to an informational seminar at a center of excellence if there is one in your area. I have about eighty to lose and my surgeon and I agreed that this was the right choice for me. Sleep apnea is a very valid co-morbidity as well as high blood pressure. There is most definately an element of strong committment. The band is only a tool. Most of the surgery is on your mind. I am basically in the same shape you are in. You just need to add being a prediabetic and having already had both knees replaced. I very much appreciate this forum. I hope that you find a lot of encouragement and hope. Please feel free to ask questions. If I can help you further with my decision progress, I would be happy to share. I am stil waiting on surgery--prob in October sometime. Don't give up. You came to the right place. Melinda

Hi, I am not qualified to give any medical advice, but I would encourage you to check with your surgeon's office. Especially if this is new for you. Please let us know. All the best to you! Melinda

Hi, my name is Melinda and I live in Eugene, OR. I am currently under the care of Oregon Bariatric Center, a Center of Excellence. I am interested in the lap band primarly unless things should change. I have BCBS standard and medicare as a secondary. Of course, the clinic would prefer to recover their money from BC then bill medicare. They would get 100% reinbursement between now and the first of the year. I am currious about their pre auth process (which I think is fair) and how they handle cases once everything is submitted correctly. I would be interested in hearing if any of you have had this insurance and how long and detailed the approval process is. Thank you in advance Melinda

Welcome to the site, Darah. I, too, am in the process. I doubt if I will have surgery before October due to medical and insurance hoops to jump through. I found the informational seminar very helpful. I have found this website to be very supportive for me. All the best to you! And thank you for serving our country. Melinda

I like the response that Cindy made about finally getting control of your life and also the one about making positive lifestyle changes. Most of my friends know that I am in the process and have been very supportive. All of my doctors have been very supportive. I have not told my sisters who live out of state as I know what their responses will be and it is not positive. I will wait till I see them again and see if they notice or ask questions. I am doing this for me and my health and my husband and children in that order. I want to be able to do things with my husband in retirement and I want to live to see and love my grandchildren. Enough said! Melinda

I personally think that you have a very good plan and I realize that I need to begin something similar with both diet and exercise. I realized sometime over the last ssix to twelve months that I needed to do something permanent and get this weight off forever. My blood sugars and A1C are rising, I have sleep apnea, have already had my knees replaed, degenerative disc disease, controlled hypertension and shortness of breath upon exertion. There is obesity on my mother's side. Currently, I am eating high protein and low carbs but I need to still get my fruits and vegetables in. I need to increase the exercise. My joints limit me in high impact stuff but am working with a physical therapist on low impact stuff. I ride a stationary bike at least twice a week but need to increase that. My insurance requires three months of nutritional counseling. I have to lose ten more pounds before my surgery can be scheduled. I am trying to record everything I eat. Oh, the other big thing for me also is not drinking with meals. All the best to you and thanks for posting your plan. Melinda

My guess is that they won't but you might want to make sure that your insurance will cover an overnight stay. Otherwise see if the hospital will be it as outpatient observation. A lady on this forum had to stay overnight and the insurance did not approve it so she has a penalty to pay. All the best to you. Please keep us posted. Melinda

Hi, if you are asking how common is it to have to have psych evaluations, I believe that all doctors in the "centers of excellence" require it and I believe most insurances require it.

Hi, I have worked in insurance and am also covered by the BCBS federal plan. Is yours the standard or basic? Do you know how many hours you were in the hospital? I have seen the hospital bill outpatient observation hours instead of a room charge on several of my own admissions. You generally have to be out within twenty three hours of your surgery (not your admission time but when recovery begins). Talk to the business office and request your medical records. I also feel that the surgeon's office should at least apologize to you. In the end, the hospital and insurance consider you responsible to make sure the pre auth is made. Best of luck. I hope this is clearly stated as I am tired today. May I ask how long it took for your case to be approved by BC? Pls feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Melinda

Hon, I have worked with insurance for many years. I think that they have got you as it specifically states that treatment of obesity is excluded. Surgical intervention is considered treatement of obesity. It is certainly worth a try but my gut tells me that you would not necessarily win an appeal. Let us know how it plays out. Melinda

Welcome to the Forum, Alan. All the best to you in your surgery on Wed. Please keep us posted. This community has been very helpful to me. I am planning for surgery in October sometime. Melinda

I welcome you to this sight and wish you all the best in this new journey. Good for you for wanting to do something about your weight at your age. I missed a lot of my children's growing up because I was obese. I deeply regret that. I have only been on this sight for a few weeks but have found it most helpful and thought provacative. I am in the process of jumpiing through insurance hoops and medical workup hoops and am planning on an October surgery. Again, best wishes for a successful rebirth into healthy eating. Melinda

Blondie, First of all, congratulations on making the decision to at least inquire into bariatric surgery. I agree with you about the gastric bypass but I personally would not do the sleeve. Unfortunately, it is mainly because my insurance wll not cover it. But it is also a new procedure and I am not comfortable that all the research is in. There will not be any malabsorption issues with the band that there can be with the bypass. The band is reversible. The others are not. All that said, you and your surgeon are the only ones that can make that decision. What is right for one person is not necessarily right for the other. I wish you all the best as your explore your options. Melinda

My insurance, BCBS Standard, Government Wide requires three months of nutritional counseling, two years proof of obesity, a statement of weight loss attempts that you have made for the last year previous to your first bariatric surgery consult. The surgeon requires at least one week of a clear liquid diet for at least seven days prior to surgery. The difference in insurance plans is vast and wide. Oh, the procedure has to be pre-authorized.